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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407360">Scattering</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nautsro_V/pseuds/Nautsro_V'>Nautsro_V</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Eddsworld - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angry Tom, Arguing, Betrayal, Blood and Violence, Bullying, Crying, Dorks in Love, Drunk Tom, First Kiss, Hentai, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Out of order storytelling, POV Third Person, Past Relationship(s), Red Leader, Seductive Tord, Sex, So is tord, Some Fluff, Supernatural Elements, Swearing, Then Love Again, Tipsy Tord, Tom POV, Tom is Nerdy, Tord Redemption, Tord is Bi, Touch-Starved, Typical Eddsworld Humor, Vulgar Language, Weapons, Weebery, backstories, edd is a good friend, kinda sad, matt is beautiful, no love, slight angst, some smut, tom is gAY, tord pov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:00:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>69,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nautsro_V/pseuds/Nautsro_V</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tord returns to the house with some unknown motives. Tom is unhappy about Tord's sudden return and wishes him to be gone once and for all. Or does he? Tom struggles to distance himself from Tord entirely due to their past history together before Tord's leaving. Can Tom trust Tord? Can Tord make up for his abrupt leaving 8 years ago? Will Matt finally get Tord to make the "Mini-Matt" robot he has always wanted? Let's see where this adventure takes the crew upon Tord's arrival...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tom/Tord (Eddsworld)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>111</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Hello, Old Friend...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>'Tord' has entered the chat...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tord?”</p>
<p>The dark figure freezes sharply in its position. The figure slowly turns it’s head to the side to get a glimpse of who was addressing them. Even though, based off the voice alone, they may already have an idea…</p>
<p>The dark figure drops their tools and takes a deep exhale before standing up straight and turning towards the direction of the voice behind them lost in confusion. While this was not the way they had wanted to see this person again after so long, they had excepted fate’s decision of this reunion and let a smile creep to their face.</p>
<p>“Tom…. it’s nice to see you again…really.” The figure moves further into the light, revealing it is indeed the person in question: Tord.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here? What are you doing to my door?!?!” Tom drops all of the old, rusted harpoons he was holding, causing a loud “thud” to the ground. His neighbor had just given him those harpoons as a gift, seeing that Tom has had a new recent obsession with sea-life equipment. He was on his way to put said harpoons in his room, that is, until he came across the sight of his old friend crouched over his doorknob most likely up to no good.</p>
<p>“Oh…yeah…” Tord looks back over to the tools he had just dropped to the floor from his little “break-in”. “Let’s not worry about that! How have you been, old friend?” Tord whips his head back to Tom and inches forward with his arms out, anticipating a hug.</p>
<p>“I am NOT your friend.” Tom says coldly and pushes Tord back, rejecting the hug.</p>
<p>“Aw, come on! Don’t say that, we were so close beforehand! Why are you being so cold now?” Tord lowers his arms from his failed attempt at a hug and tilts his head in confusion.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we were cool” Tom throws up a fake smile making Tord’s face lighten up a bit. “Yeah, before you left for eight years asshole.” Tom’s face drops to its default frown while crossing his arms, putting all his weight back on his heels. Tord’s smile drops slightly due to Tom’s typical sarcastic response.</p>
<p>“I had things to do, you all knew this before I left.” Tord throws his hands into the pockets of his signature red hoodie.</p>
<p>“You left and didn’t say a word to us for eight whole years…” Tom says through clenched teeth. “You weren’t even specific on what “things” you had to do, you just left". Tom’s hallow eyes squinted angerly at Tord.</p>
<p>“Yeah…but hey! I’m back!” Tord throws Tom a loppy smile, to which, Tom responds with his usual grunt.</p>
<p>“Did you tell Edd you were coming back?” Tom exhales trying to keep his anger in check.</p>
<p>“Of course! I called him a couple of days ago to let him know!” Tord smiles again, hoping to lighten the tensity in the room being emitted from Tom. Unfortunately, this attempt did not work because it seems that Tom was getting more fired up anyway.</p>
<p>“Yeah right! He would have told me you were coming asshole!” Tom hollers back at Tord, and Tord holds his hands up behind his face in defense.</p>
<p>“No, really! I did, I did!” Tord hollers back, fearful of Tom’s wrath in his current state of anger.</p>
<p>“Bullshit!” Tom screams as his words start to hold more venom. “You always lie! Even when I do stuff in your best interest you always turn on me! You’re a two-faced lying commie!”</p>
<p>“Tom…I swear-”</p>
<p>“What’s got you all mad Tom?” Edd peers around the corner briefly before he takes notice of the familiar friend standing across from Tom. “Tord!” Edd runs over and throws his arms around Tord tightly. Tord’s eyes widen at Edd’s sudden gesture.</p>
<p>“Tord?” Matt says creeping slowly behind Edd, most likely wary of the situation due to Tom’s temper.</p>
<p>“Yes Matt! It’s Tord! Oh my goodness! Tord, how have you been? It’s been so long!” Edd grips Tord tighter before pulling away from the hug to face him properly.</p>
<p>“Uh-yeah…. hello Edd.” There was a very obvious uncomfortable look in Tord’s face in this greeting, but Edd paid it no mind at all.</p>
<p>“Matt, it’s Tord! Remember all the fun adventures we went on years ago? Oh, they were so much fun!” Edd’s face was gleaming with pure excitement at his old friend’s return to their once shared house.</p>
<p>“Tord? Wait, you mean the same Tord that built me the full-body mirror for my room?!” Matt’s face perks up and he points his finger excitedly at Tord.</p>
<p>“Yes Matt, that Tord!” Edd throws his arms up into the air in excitement. Matching his friend’s excitement in his new revelation. Matt starts greeting Tord back just as warmly as Edd.</p>
<p>“Hey Torddy, how have you been?” Matt starts to approach Tord and cups his own face dramatically. “You haven’t changed at all! Well, except for that weird bandage on your face.” Matt points to Tord’s right cheek where said “weird bandage” lied.</p>
<p>“Ha…thanks Matt…I guess.” Tord’s eyes drift to the ground.</p>
<p>“No problem!” Matt says cheerly, missing the insincerity in Tord’s words.</p>
<p>Matt was going to continue evaluating Tord’s appearance while comparing it to his own until Tom stammered all of the high energy in the room with his voice alone, he had a talent for doing this.</p>
<p>“Edd…why didn’t you tell me Tord was coming? Unless you didn’t know yourself?” Tom glares at Tord holding onto his earlier accusation of Tord lying about contacting Edd before his abrupt visit.</p>
<p>To Tom’s surprise, Tord had done exactly as he stated before: He had contacted Edd beforehand.</p>
<p>“Oh, did I not tell you Tom? Tord called me like two weeks ago saying he was coming by.” Edd turned to Tom and said this very plainly, making Tom even more angry.</p>
<p>“No! You didn’t tell me this scumbag was coming back! Edd, what the hell?!” Tom starts to direct his anger towards Edd.</p>
<p>Tord tries to hide a small smirk arising to his face as his old friend continues to get fired up over nothing. For some reason, whenever Tom is proven wrong, this can’t help but bring a smile to Tord’s face. This is especially true when Tom is in the wrong about something pertaining to Tord himself. Tom knows Tord better than anyone else, so when Tom is proven wrong on something involving Tord, Tord can’t help but feel a little victorious.</p>
<p>Alas, Tord had to suppress his grin, seeing that if Tom saw; Tord would get an earful beyond recovery. Tord laid his sleeve over his mouth, trying to hold back the slightest chuckle.</p>
<p>“I did!” Edd yells back. “I brought it up at breakfast a couple days ago.” Edd puts his hands on his hips and tilts his head slightly to the side in confusion in Tom’s anger.</p>
<p>Tom takes a deep exhale and loosens his shoulders, to which, he did not realize had gotten so tense from this conversation. It’s all Tord’s fault anyway as to why he has gotten so riled up to begin with.</p>
<p>“Edd…” Tom starts as calmly as he can with the situation he was given. “If you told me this asshole was showing up when your mouth was full, there is no way in hell I heard you. You always try and talk to me right after you stuff your face, and I can’t understand anything you’re trying to say at that point.” Tom softens his glare at Edd, knowing that Edd means no harm.</p>
<p>Edd frowns at his angry friend, seeing that Tom does not understand how much his anger can get to his head sometimes, making everyone in the house on edge.</p>
<p>“Well regardless, I DID tell you.” Edd shrugs. “It’s not my fault you couldn’t understand me.” Edd gives Tom a nonchalant grin and turns back to Tord. “Either way, I’m so glad your back Tord! We have so much to catch up on!”</p>
<p>This reaction to Tom’s very valid point, causes Tom to curl over and pinch the temple of his nose aggressively.</p>
<p>“Ugh.” Tom exhales and Tord’s eyes have not failed to leave Tom’s face once throughout the whole exchange of words between Tom and Edd. Tord’s smirk only grows wider as he takes note of Tom’s growing irritation over the situation.</p>
<p><i>“He’s very cute when he gets worked up over stuff like this...”</i> Tord thinks to himself before Edd breaks his small mental note by giving him another hug, making Tord slightly uncomfortable again at the sudden gesture, but not as much as the first hug.</p>
<p>“Hey, let me in on the welcoming hug as well~” Matt pouts and Edd opens his arms out for Matt to join.</p>
<p>“Come on in Matt!” Edd says with a proud smile plastered on his face.</p>
<p>Just as Tord was gaining some comfortability with Edd’s hug, Matt just had to come and make it worse.</p>
<p>“Yay!” Matt jumps into the hug abruptly earning a grunt from Tord who is now sandwiched in the middle of the two boys.</p>
<p>Tom holds one final glare at the trio before he turns around sharply and starts walking towards the foyer of the house.</p>
<p>“Hey Tom, join the hug!” Edd gestures his arm out as far as he can with the two other boys locked into him.</p>
<p>Tom keeps his gaze locked to the ground as he continues his path towards the front door.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what’s up with you guys, but I’m getting some fresh air.” Tom leaves out the front door with a loud “slam” following. The sound leaves ripples echoing throughout the halls of the house.</p>
<p>“Well, he’ll simmer down soon enough.” Edd wraps his arm back around Tord once more before freeing himself from the hug. “We have a lot to catch up on Tord! We should go out and celebrate later too!” Edd throws his most beaming grin at Tord, making Tord smile slightly at Edd’s genuine nature.</p>
<p>“Yay food!” Matt throws up his arms in excitement. “Dinner’s on Edd tonight!” Matt runs off cheering as Edd trails behind him slowly.</p>
<p>“Well, I mean, we can split the bill a bit…” Edd says with no prevail seeing that Matt continues hollering down the hall ignoring anything Edd says in refute. “Matt…you all eat so much though, especially when you’re the one’s not paying…” Edd continues to trail behind Matt slowly as he realizes that Matt has fully convinced himself that he is getting free food tonight.</p>
<p>Tord lingers behind the two boys, keeping both his hands locked into his hoodie pocket. He looks back to the front door where his old friend had stammered through earlier. Tord then turns back fully to pick up his remaining tools that he had dropped earlier. After all of them had been collected, Tord turns back to follow Edd and Matt down the hall of their memory-filled home.</p>
<p>“He’ll come back…and when he does, we’ll have a little chat…” Tord whispers to himself as he kicks aside one of the stray harpoons Tom had dropped earlier.</p>
<p>Into the darkness of the hallway the red figure walks, leaving a slight smirk on his face as his figure soon blends into the black-matted hallway.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One day I just got sucked into the Eddsworld Rabbit hole, and here I am writing this....I hope someone benefits from me putting this out into the world‘ಥ‿ಥ’</p>
<p>Welp series will probs be a really long one, soooooo uhhh buckle up I guess? I have never posted on AO3, so bear with me on formats and stuff. I am notorious for having run-on sentences too, so bear with me :X I have never written anything for Eddsworld but I just love this shipping and I felt like writing something. Well, that's enough rambling! See you in the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. No Friends (Part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Seventh Grade was a relatively boring year for Tom, that is, until Edd brings in an old friend of his into their friend group...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p><p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p><p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1><h1></h1><p>It’s not a time I like to think about too often nowadays, but I can’t help but think about it after he showed up…</p>
<h6>We first met through Edd at our middle school in seventh grade….</h6><p>“Matt, stop. Stop. Stop. Matt, stop.”</p><p>“Tom why is your hair so pointy? You can really poke someone’s eye out with the way you style it.” Matt’s squeezed up next to me poking at my hair annoyingly in class pre-usual. I hate that his assign seat is somehow always next to mine whenever we share a class together.</p><p>“I was born with it like this…” I look down at my desk trying to repress some unpleasant memories of my youth pertaining to my appearance.</p><p>“Yeah, but you can always change your hair can’t ya?” Matt continues to infiltrate my hair with his hands.</p><p>The topic of my hair always brings me down for…. obvious reasons, or at least, obvious to Matt.</p><p>“My hair is all have to remember him by…” I start to get really depressed thinking about “the incident” when we were young.</p><p>“Hey lads!” Edd comes marching gleefully to our seats. Seeing Edd’s stupidly happy grin automatically brightens my mood and lets my mind trail from the rather traumatizing topic of my familiar origins.</p><p>“Hey Edd, you look more cherry than usual.” I perk my head up from my desk and shoo Matt off my head making him whine slightly in response.</p><p>“Do I? Well, I guess that would make sense, because today is a special day boys!” Edd’s smile grows even wider and he lays his hands on his hips proudly.</p><p>Matt and I look at each other in confusion for a second before turning back to Edd.</p><p>“Why’s that?” I ask in genuine confusion as to why Edd is so chippie. He’s usually a pretty cheerful guy, but today he seems to have ten times more pep in his step than usual.</p><p>“Huh? What do you mean?” Edd tilts his head towards us in confusion. “Can’t you guys see? We have a new friend!” Edd holds out his arm to the side to reveal an empty space next to him.</p><p>“Uhhh Edd, there nothing there.” I point towards the empty spot and give Edd a concerned look.</p><p>“Imaginary friends don’t count Edd! We said the same thing to Tom about Steve!” Matt crosses his arms together aggressively.</p><p>“Steve’s real, I swear Guys…” I pout out knowing that no one will believe me on the matter.</p><p>Edd turns to his side to see that, indeed, no one was there.</p><p>“What? Hey, Tord!” Edd turns around sharply and rushes over to the doorway of the classroom.</p><p>Edd starts talking to some outside of the door, almost as if he was convincing them to come into the classroom. Eventually after some bickering, Edd rushes back to Matt and mine’s desks holding the wrist of some random kid.</p><p>This kid was…off. Well, that’s the best way I could explain him. He looks completely normal for the most part. </p><p>His hair was a light brown but had two distinguishing quiffs shaped to the front of his head (I’m not one to judge someone’s hairstyle choices anyway, but somehow it suited him). He was pretty scrawny but only a little more so than myself. His skin had a slight tan, making his face look as if he had a natural glow to his face (which was kind of an attractive trait of his in my opinion). He wore a dull maroon zip-up hoodie over a solid black tee-shirt. He also wore solid black ripped skinny jeans paired with thick black low-cut combat boots. His eyes; however, grabbed most of my attention. Despite his eyes being locked to the ground upon his arrival to our desk with Edd, his eyes were oddly intriguing.</p><p>A grey-wash black with an oddly disinterested gaze. His eyes were very unique to say the least. Not necessarily the color, but just the distant look ingrained into them. It was a bit unnerving, but yet intriguing. It was obvious that this kid did not feel comfortable with two strangers staring at him with anticipation, so I focused my attention back onto Edd. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say that Matt could do the same.</p><p>“Who’s that?” Matt points to the kid accusingly and rises from his desk abruptly, causing some cluttering sounds from the desk.</p><p>The kid tilts his head down further, obviously trying to avoid Matt’s obsessive stare.</p><p>“Matt, relax, this is Tord. He’s and old friend of mine from a couple years back” Edd’s smile curls to his eyes as he proudly leads the other kid forward by the wrist.</p><p>“Huh?” Matt dramatically twirls his head to the side and shrugs his shoulders up in confusion. “A couple years back, you say? Why am I just now seeing him?”</p><p>“Matt, this was before I met you and Tom. Tord use to live in my neighborhood growing up, but he had to move back to Norway about five years ago.” Edd Turns his head back towards the kid and smiles.</p><p>“Wait a minute, if this guy had to move back to Norweegie or whatever, why is he here now?” Matt crosses his arms are throws a confused glare at Edd as if there was a flaw in Edd’s story.</p><p>“Obviously the kid moved back to the UK, dumbass.” I throw a glare at Matt who clearly can’t put two-and-two together.</p><p>“Oh. I guess that makes sense. Matt drops his defensive stance and holds out his hand towards the new kid. “Welcome! I’m Matt, Edd’s best friend!”</p><p>“Hey, I think Edd sees us both equally as his best friend. Right Edd?” I give Edd a look in search of reassurance in my statement.</p><p>“Uhhh, sure?” Edd gives us both a blank stare and turns back to the new kid. “Well go on shake his hand Tord!” Edd nudges the kid with his shoulder and the kid hesitantly shakes Matt’s hand.</p><p>“Nice to meet you, new friend!” Matt shakes the kid’s hand with much more energy than the new kid was putting into the handshake. Matt throws his thumb back directly at me and smiles brightly. “This gloomy guys over here is Tom.”</p><p>“Hey, I can introduce myself thank you very much.” I cross my arms and glare back at Matt who only responds with his same old goofy grin and a weird hum sound. I droop back into my chair and just let Edd and Matt do most of the talking with the newcomer.</p><p>The new kid seemed pretty uncomfortable with Matt hounding on him with a bunch of his typically invasive questions (I mean, who wouldn’t be?). Edd just smiled and laughed at Matt’s overly excited barrage of questions being asked to the kid.</p><p>After a couple minutes of the one-sided conversation between Matt and the new kid, the bell rang and indicated that our break between classes was unfortunately over and that we needed to head back to our assigned classes and seats.</p><p>“Oof, well I guess that’s the bell.” Edd grabs the new kid’s wrist again and starts leading him to the doorway. “We have to get back to class, but we can all hangout after school today if you guys don’t mind!” Edd says this with the brightest gleam on his face making it hard to reject his offer (not like I was planning to anyway).</p><p>“Of course! Let’s go to the arcade!” Matt hollers back waving back at Edd and the new kid.</p><p>“Sounds like fun, we’ll meet up at the usual spot then, right lads?” Edd throws up a “thumbs up” into the air and Matt throws one right back.</p><p>“Okey-dokey! See you guys then!” Matt gives the two a final wave off and then plops down back in his seat next to mine. </p><p>Matt starts humming cheerfully per-usual as our teacher strides into the classroom laying out his materials to start a predicably boring lecture. I pull out my phone from under my desk and start playing Subway Surf on my phone seeing that I have never taken this teacher’s lectures seriously before, so it would make no sense to start now. Matt pulls out his phone as well and starts taking pictures of himself with his phone hidden under the desk so our teacher can’t see. Matt’s always been good at seeking pictures of himself at anywhere and at any time.</p><p>I lean my head on my hand rested on my desk and evaluate the encounter with the new kid a couple minutes prior. He was a bit off, but Edd has a relatively good judgement of character, so he must be a good guy if Edd is friends with him. Either way, it seems like we may be spending quite a bit of time together judging by Edd’s utter excitement in introducing the kid to Matt and I. It doesn’t matter to me either way, but I can’t help but shake the look in that kid’s eyes. We never exchanged direct eye contact with each other, but something about the way his eyes would wonder to the side just sends chills down my spine. Well, we’re all hanging out together after school today, so maybe then I can get to know him at least a little bit more than just his gaze.</p><p>~~~~~~~</p><p>

It’s the last period of the day and I have chemistry for my last class. Honestly, I hate chemistry, but the class is not THAT boring compared to everything else in our curriculum for our grade. At least there’s a small chance of an explosion in this class than any others. The chances of something exploding may be small, but the chances are higher than in any other class. Man, I do wish that something interesting would happen one of these days in chemistry.</p><p>I shrug my shoulders and sigh before peering open the door to the chemistry lab. There are no assign seats in this class, so I always find myself searching for a new seat every class. As I gaze through the open seats in the lab-room, I lay my eyes on a relatively familiar face.</p><p>“Oh, the new kid.” I mumble to myself.</p><p>He sat towards the center of the rows of labs seats, a bit too close for my liking to the front of the projection board. This makes me think he actually cares about school if he’s willing to sit that close to the front of the class. I usually try and plant myself as far back in the classroom as possible to try and get a couple of winks of sleep before going back home just to do the same thing.</p><p>However, there was an open seat right next to the kid and he seemed so distant from everyone else in the class. We’re also going to be hanging out after school today anyways, so I might as well get more acquainted with him anyway, right?</p><p>I slip my way through the rows of the lab tables and slide myself into the chair right next to him. As soon as I sit down next to him, I feel him tense up a bit and look over in the opposite direction. He seems pretty uncomfortable with every little gesture taken around him. Man, I hope Edd didn’t just intrude on this guy’s life after all these years and just expect their friendship to just “click back” to the way it was before this kid left. They were like, what, seven years old when they last saw each other? Edd’s judgment of character isn’t awful, so this guy may be a good guy, but that doesn’t mean he’ll just start hanging out with a bunch of random dudes just because he is childhood friends with one of them.</p><p>Ah well, either way, I picked the seat right next to him so hopefully things don’t get too awkward…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the part 1 to Tom and Tord's first meeting :)</p><p>I have no schedule for when I upload chapters soooooo I guess it's always going to be a surprise! I am not one to make people wait too long for chapters so I will try an be as consistent as possible :&gt;</p><p>P.s. any Norwegian reference in terms of language are supplied by Google Translate, so I wouldn't expect them to be very accurate.</p><p>P.s.s. Kudos to anyone who knows what traumatic “incident” Tom was referring to with Matt. ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. No Friends (Part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom is a nervous wreck and tends to break the fourth wall a lot...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am soooo new to writing on AO3, so any way formatting stuff will get fixed as time goes on. This chapter takes place right after the last one(same day and scene). I don't know what else to say, so enjoy! ;P</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1><p>Things were getting awkward.</p><p>I know I was the one who picked the seat next to him, so I signed up for this, but still, he’s not saying anything…. like at all.</p><p>Slightly turning my head over, just enough for him not to notice, I try and read his face a bit to see any sort of un-comfortability as he displayed earlier with Matt. This proved to be a bit challenging because the kid was actively trying to avoid any sort of eye contact with anyone. He had his eyes glued to the floor and his head was turned to the opposite side of me towards the teacher’s desk. The subtle reserved body language was enough for me to identify the un-comfortability, so I tried to look the other direction as well to avoid intensifying any more awkwardness that could arise from this situation. Thank God this class is a pretty low-maintenance class, so there’s most likely never going to be a period today in which the two of us have to talk to each other.</p><p>The bell rang, and any and all last-minute arrivals to the class were pouring in all at once just before our teacher shut and locked the door.</p><p>Our teacher strides over to the front of the room and starts running through attendance on their computer. They were going through all of the names very casually until they stopped and looked up at the class curiously. Their eyes scanned the room very briefly before stopping directly on the person next to me. The new kid.</p><p>“You must be Tord.” Our teacher gives the kid a little smile before inching at him for an introduction. “You’re from Norway, right? That’s very cool, would you care to introduce yourself to the rest of the class?” Our teacher extends their hand out towards the kid, gesturing him to stand for an introduction.</p><p>The kid stays completely silent and just turns his head further to the side, away from the teacher’s gaze. It was painfully obvious that this kid did not want to interact with anybody around him, so I was really hoping our teacher would catch on quick.</p><p>“Or no?” Our teacher gives the kid a slight frown before proceeding with attendance as before.</p><p>Once attendance was done our teacher took a loud sigh and grabbed a fat stack of packets from their desk. I saw the stack earlier when I came in, but I was really hoping they had nothing to do with our class. Unfortunately, it seems that whatever those packets were, was going to be our assignment for the day. Great, can this get any worse?</p><p>“Alrighty class, today is going to be the start of our biochemistry unit. For the next couple of days, we are going to be working our way to the lab for the unit, which is a dissection evaluation. So, that being said, today is our pre-lab analysis.” This statement earned a loud groan from the other kids in the class. “I haven’t even finished…” Our teacher sighs before continuing. “Anyway, this unit is a collaborative one, so for this unit you are all going to have to buddy up and pick a partner and the two of you are going to be working together for the entirety of the unit. I would pick someone you know will be productive, this is one of our longest units.”</p><p>Fuck. Why? This teacher has never made us work on anything together, why now? Hell, this is probably the first class period that I’m actually awake for. It’s a seventh-grade chemistry course, why are we even learning stuff like “biochemistry”? I slouch in my chair in agony at my luck today.</p><p>“Once you have a partner, come to the front and grab a packet, it’s due by the end of next class.” Our teacher gives the hefty pile of papers a nice slap before heading back to their desk.</p><p>Goddamit. I don’t talk to any of these lackeys. Now, I have to pick a partner for the whole unit? Man, I don’t even know anyone’s names…well except for one…</p><p>Groaning under my breath, I turn my head over to the new kid. He has both his hands lodged in his pockets and is keeping his gaze locked to the ground.  I feel bad putting him in another uncomfortable situation, but do either of us have any other option? If I sure as hell don’t know anyone in this class, there is no chance he does. We’re already sitting right next to each other too, so it’s a bit less awkward to ask in these circumstances, but only a little.</p><p>Taking the deepest breath I have ever taken in my life, I gather all my loose thoughts into the most coherent sentence I can muster.</p><p>“H-hey”.</p><p>Great job Tom! You successfully communicated everything you needed to say in the best sentence humanly possible.</p><p>Yeah right. “Hey?” Why am I so bad at stuff like this? The saddest part is that I’m actually proud of myself. I’ve never been good at talking to people, or just making friends in general. I met Matt years ago and he has always just stuck around me, so I never had to put much effort into developing that friendship. It was even easier with Edd. He approached me when we first met and he’s such a likable guy that it was easy to hit things off with him(plus we were like seven). That just about covers my list of friends. The three of us have stuck together for so long that I’ve never really needed to take the initiative with other people, Edd and Matt do that for me. I’m not shocked that I’m struggling talking to this kid right now, but man, I really wish I was better at these things.</p><p>I’m shitting bricks in my chair right now anticipating a response from this kid and I’m not sure if I want him to respond with equal energy, or not at all. I hide my mouth into my shoulder in an attempt to hide the mild embarrassment that had risen to my face. I really hope this kid can at least nod or something. Any kind of response will do at this point.</p><p>“H-hello.” The kid muffles his mouth into the collar of his tee shirt and shifts his eyes to the center of his desk.</p><p>Oh wow. That accent is <b>THICK.</b> Maybe that’s why he’s been so quiet. He could be unconfident in his English-speaking abilities. Well, he lived in the UK years ago, so he must have known English pretty well back then right? Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Edd made friends with this kid years ago despite this kid not knowing a dime of English. Regardless, he spoke, and that’s a win for me.</p><p>Now, I can sleep easy tonight. All well that ends well, I guess.</p><p>
  <b>{The End.}</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Wait what? I have to do more than that? No, no, he said hello back. That was a perfectly balanced conversation between two individuals. What more is there to say?</p><p>Oh yeah…. the project. </p><p>I have to like actually ask him to be my lab partner don’t I? There needs to be like a script for this shit! How the hell am I supposed to know what to say in situations like this? It’s not like I’m trying to make friends with the kid or anything. We both need a lab partner, and we have a mutual friend, is it that weird to ask him to be my partner? No, of course not. That’s why there doesn’t need to be this whole momentous statement made on the matter. Just a simple exchange of words…... </p><p>Not satisfied? Fine! I’ll try a little harder…</p><p> </p><p>After taking another inhale, I turn my chair slightly towards the kid and muster up the last droplets of whatever courage I had left to execute another brilliant sentence.</p><p>“P-Partners?” </p><p>Perfect.</p><p>The kid nods slightly and I quickly launch myself from my chair up to the front of the lab room to go and grab two of the massive packets on our teacher’s desk. There was no way in hell I could sit in that atmosphere any longer. I had to get up, even if it’s just for a couple seconds.</p><p>Aside from my horrific anxiety, that went rather well in my opinion. I’m shock that he spoke to me. I mean, it’s not that I think it’s odd to speak in a situation like this, but even when Matt was being horrendously annoying earlier by bombarding this kid with a billion random questions, the kid didn’t say a word. He just hid behind Edd and tried to endure the sudden intensity of the situation that Matt had created. Edd spoke for the kid when the two of them came over to Matt and I’s class, so there wasn’t a chance in which I could hear him speak. In all honestly, I don’t think he’s shy. Based off the subtle glances I got of his face, he just looks distant. His demeanor is not of a shy person, but more so, someone who would rather be somewhere else. It could be a cultural thing, but I don’t know. He just seems…off. Either way, we’re lab partners now, and I have no intention of doing a single inch of this packet today. Hopefully this kid doesn’t care about his grade in this course because I’m really not trying to work hard, or work at all for that matter.</p><p>I get back to our table and plop myself back into my chair. I hand the kid one of the two packets, and he reaches out and grabs it slowly from my hand. He shuffles a bit in his seat before propping his hand onto the table, leaning his head on top of them. He scans through the first page of the packet and looks off to the side afterwards.</p><p>I don’t pay it much mind, and just throw my packet across the desk dismissively before putting my head down into my arms for a nice cat nap. That is until…</p><p>“You are friends with Edd, no?” I rip my head from the table and turn my head sharply towards the kid.</p><p>Woah, woah. There was no warning about us ATUALLY talking to each other. Not only did he just speak a full sentence, but he asked me a question?! Ah hell, what do I say? Well, I guess I should just answer normally. Yeah, just give him a normal answer, shouldn’t be too hard.</p><p>“Y-yes sir.” </p><p>Perfect.</p><p>The kid gives me a curious look. Which, to be honest, was really odd to see on his face considering that I’ve never seen the kid make any other expressions beside his default stony one. It was kind of cute to see his face like that but coming to this revelation only made my face grow even redder than it already was when he addressed me.</p><p>“Sir? I believe we are the same age, no?” The kid raises an eyebrow at me, and I completely loose it.</p><p>“Uhhh yeah, we are.” All my words are getting caught in my throat and I can feel my face getting hotter by the second.</p><p>Luckily, the kid just dismisses the remark and looks back at his packet. That is, until he starts to say something else.</p><p>“So?” He brings his eyes back to my direction.</p><p>“S-so what?”</p><p>“Edd?”</p><p>“What about him?”</p><p>The kid slants his mouth to the corner looking a bit stumped in the conversation, but personally, I think this conversation is going just dandy.</p><p>“So, you two are friends?” The kid sighs.</p><p>“Uhhh, yeah. What of it?” I tilt my head back in response; curious as to why he just asked the same question twice.</p><p>“…. Tom, was it?” The kid raises his eyebrow again at me.</p><p>“Y-yeah.” I barley choke out.</p><p>“Cool…. I was just checking…” The kid looks back down at his packet and starts flipping through the other pages.</p><p> </p><p>I feel bad. He tried to initiate a conversation, and I completely botched it. I don’t know why I always get so nervous in situations like these. I’m so afraid of people thinking I’m weird, and as a result, people think I’m weird. I have to try and flip this around.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s Tord, right?” My heart is beating out my chest, but I keep my voice steady and try and look straight at him.</p><p>He lifts his head, and for the first time today, we lock eyes.</p><p>“Y-yeah.” He holds his stare with mine and my heart starts crawling through my throat.</p><p>“Cool. You excited to go to the arcade later?” I somehow managed to through together a well-framed sentence, just to ease the weird atmosphere between us.</p><p>“I guess…” He starts to look down again, but then he quickly picks up his head. “I haven’t hung out with friends in a long time…” A small smile curls to his lips and I feel my face flush red again. Jesus, every little change in his facial expression drives my heart up a wall.</p><p>“Well, if you want to consider Matt a friend. He’s a little “out there”.” I try and smile in turn.</p><p>“Ah yes, he was interesting…” His face becomes more uncomfortable. This is most likely in response to the memory of his first meeting with Matt earlier today.</p><p>“Interesting, good? Or bad?”</p><p>“I do not know…”</p><p>“Yeah, makes sense. That’s Matt for you.” I try and give another playful smile and he gives out small chuckle. It was almost heavenly to hear that from him.</p><p>“Well, we have a packet to work on, right?” He holds up the packet and takes a pencil out from his pocket.</p><p>“Oh no, you actually want to work on this thing?” I whine back in response, finding it a bit easier to relax around him.</p><p>“It’s not hard. Just basic lab and research fundamentals.” He lowers his eyelids and gives me a wide smirk. “Or are you not familiar with such simple procedures?”</p><p>Was that a jab? I was under the impression that this kid was more of the submissive type but judging by the look in his eyes and shit-eating grin on his face; I’m inclined to think otherwise.</p><p>“Oh really? If it’s so simple than why would you need my help?” I try and jab back at him seeing that this is most likely a more comfortable way of talking for him, and me as well.</p><p>“Well of course, I can do this by myself easily.” His face drops back to a more disinterested expression. “But why would I do that? It’s a waste of time to work on tedious task like these.” He throws the packet across the table as I did earlier.</p><p>“So, we’re not doing it?” I point over to the packet he had just tossed over.</p><p>“Nope. Not unless you wish to. In that case, you can do it yourself.” He throws his arms behind his head and leans back in his chair playfully.</p><p>“Yeah right.” I chuckle and lay my head back down into my arms on the table. This kid may just be all talk by saying this shit’s “easy” or whatever, but that doesn’t matter to me. As long as were both on the same page with this bullshit assignment, that’s cool with me.</p><p>We both chat cordially for the rest of the class period and I forgot all about my scheduled “cat nap”.</p><p>The bell rings and we both start packing up our belongings (not like we had much out to pack up to begin with) and start making our way out of the lab room.</p><p>The kid follows me out the doorway and we both hold a hearty conversation on pirates (I don’t know how we got on this topic) while making our way to the front of the school where Edd and Matt should be waiting.</p><p>Once we make our way to the front of the school Edd gives us an odd look.</p><p>“When did you two get so close?” Edd crosses his arms and tilts his head in confusion.</p><p>“We’re not-” we both start in unison before we both cut ourselves off. The kid looks off to the side, so I decide to finish instead.</p><p>“We have the same sixth period, and we just came back together.” I give Edd a shrug and he gives me an unsatisfied squint.</p><p>“I’m serious, we share the same sixth period.” I tell Edd honestly.</p><p>“Okay…” Edd says with a bit of ambiguity.</p><p>“Who cares? Let’s go!” Matt starts jumping up and down impatiently. “Hey Torddy, let’s play DDR together when we get there!” Matt swings an arm around the kid making him grunt slightly.</p><p>“Uhhh…” The kid mumbles and proceeds to get leashed out of the school’s front doors by Matt.</p><p>Hopefully Matt doesn’t make him too uncomfortable once we get to the arcade, that kid has some bite if you push him far enough….</p><p>I’m just glad chemistry’s going to be a bit more bearable now that me and that kid are on speaking terms. I thought today was one of my more unluckier days, but hey, everything worked out just fine between him and I. Maybe Tord and I could even be friends? </p><p>Somehow…it feels odd to say that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The next chapter takes place back to the present.....</p><p>Happy New Year! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Mistakes and Compacting Furniture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom is still angry at Tord for his return, Tord feels bad, Edd is just glad all of his friends are back to living in one house, and Matt wants his mini robot.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, this is in the third-person POV. However, the next load of chapters are from either Tom or Tord. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I am not your friend.” Tom crosses his arms tightly as he gives Tord a piercing glare.</p>
<p>“Aw, classic, stupid, Tom! You always say such funny things~” Tord winks at Tom and pokes at his face provokingly before taking a puff from his cigar.</p>
<p>“Stop it. You’re not funny.” Tom slaps Tord’s hand away from his face and marches out from the living room.</p>
<p>“Don’t take it personally Tord. You know how Tom is.” Edd gives Tord a loppy smile with a shrug.</p>
<p>“Still, you would think that after a couple of days of Torddy being here that he would lighten up a bit.” Matt shakes his head in disapproval. “Tom’s too angry all the time. He’s going to get wrinkles if he keeps frowning the way he does.”</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I don’t think Tom cares about stuff like that, Matt.” Edd pats Matt on the shoulder shaking their heads disappointingly in unison with each other.</p>
<p>Tord glances over towards the hallway Tom went marching through and frowns slightly.</p>
<p>“Maybe……I should...apologize.” Tord turns his head back towards Edd and Matt. “Dropping a recliner on him was kind of too far. Especially since he’s already so angry at me for moving back in…”</p>
<p>“Oh, come on now!” Edd throws his arm around Tord. “It’s not your fault, he’s mad.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he’s always mad.” Matt chimes in.</p>
<p>“Exactly. No matter what you do Tom’s going to be a little piss-baby about it.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he is a little piss baby.” Matt chimes in again and nods his head in understanding.</p>
<p>“Right.” Edd continues. “If you talk to him now, you’re just going to rile him up more.”</p>
<p>Tord looks back towards the hallway and sighs.</p>
<p><i>“Can’t we just talk like how we used to?”</i> Tord thinks to himself as Edd leads him and Matt over to the kitchen.</p>
<p>“So, Tord what else have you made since you’ve been gone?” Edd switches topics and strides further into the kitchen still holding Tord under his arm.</p>
<p>“Did you finally make the “Mini-Matt” robot?!” Matt shakes Tord excitedly from behind.</p>
<p>“No, and I never said I was going to.” Tord sighs and give Matt a drained glare.</p>
<p>“Aww, come on Torddy, don’t be such a stickler.” Matt pouts and crosses his arms.</p>
<p>Tord sighs to himself as he is led to the kitchen with Edd and Matt. He can’t get Tom out of his head. He loves getting under Tom’s skin, but ever since he came back to the house Tom has been colder than usual towards him. The treatment is understandable, yes, but Tord still wishes for Tom to talk to him like normal.</p>
<p>Tord wants to apologize to Tom, but will Tom forgive him?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay so, this was a rather short one BUT I have my reasonings. I wanted to get ahead in writing this because I actually like writing this, so I typed up a bunch of chapters over the last week :). There is still no schedule for when each chapter comes out, but they will most likely be released weekly(maybe two in a week) I do not knowww, minimum once a week.</p>
<p>Anyway! The next chapter is going to be and "egg"-citing one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. An “Egg”-citing Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The two boys start yolkin' around in class......</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p><p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p><p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1><p>I run my fingers through my hair roughly and slide down the back of my bedroom door.</p><p>
  <i>“I hate him.”</i>
</p><p>I’ve been trying to avoid Tord for the past couple days he has been at the house, but he always tries and corners me when we cross paths. The only time I feel safe is in my room, and even then, his room is right next door to mine.</p><p>I bring my knees to my chest as I sit curled up at the bottom of my door. I sink my head into my arms and try to collect myself. </p><p>
  <i>“He’ll leave again, like he did before…”</i>
</p><p>There’s no point in thinking like this. I want nothing to do with him, so why am I just waiting for him to leave? Whether he stays or not shouldn’t matter to me, he can do what he wants. Avoiding him like this seems stupid. He DID move back in; I can’t avoid him for much longer. Plus, Edd and Matt are getting uncomfortable with Tord and I’s little spats, it’s just not fair to them to keep things like this.</p><p>Tord and I have always bickered. He’s too cocky and he holds himself on such a high pedestal all of the time. Not only that, but he always tries to rile me up for no reason and I’m too stubborn to give in easily, so we always end up budding heads.</p><p>I can’t read that guy….</p><p>It’s hard to tell what his true intentions are behind his words. I know he likes to piss me off, but why does he look so pained when I ignore him? That guy drives me nuts, but I can never get him out of my head, it sucks. I’ve never been able to read him, he always acts so…different from other people.</p><p>There’s always been something off about Tord…</p>
<hr/><p>“It should work.” Tord says pulling out and odd elixir from his coat pocket.</p><p>“Tord, what the hell IS that?” I step back not trusting the way Tord is hold the questionable liquid.</p><p>“Do not worry, I have used this before.” Tord’s eyes stay fixated on the vile with the odd substance inside.</p><p>“Yeah, okay, sure, but uh Tord…. what IS it?”</p><p>“If I told would you even know?” Tord gives me a deadpanned expression making it very obvious that I would, indeed, have no clue what the hell that gypsy potion-looking elixir is.</p><p>Something I realized after being in class with Tord for the past week is that he’s super smart; like, crazy smart. When we first started talking, I thought he was just talking big of himself when he said everything was too “simplistic” and “easy” in this class. Low and behold he wasn’t all talk after all. If anything, he’s way smarter than he thinks he is.</p><p>All throughout the past couple classes, Tord and I haven’t completed a single assignment pertaining to our lab (I’m not complaining), but throughout class Tord is constantly outdoing our teacher every chance he gets. During lectures Tord will always ask a billion questions on extensive formulas and equations and our teacher is always left speechless; by not how little they know on the subject they teach, but by how much a middle schooler like Tord knows on the very same topics our teacher has a master’s degree in. Sometimes, Tord feels way more qualified to teach this class than our current teacher. It’s because Tord is so smart that out teacher doesn’t even care that we’re not working on any of the assignments.</p><p>It pays off for to Tord to be as smart as he is (it’s working great for me), but on the downside, Tord gets really bored in class (can’t really blame him though). Since neither of us were working on the task we were assigned, Tord decided that he was going to use the lab room for some personal…passions? I don’t know what else to call his little “experiments”. He’ll just bring a bunch a random stuff to class and start mixing them together to see how they will react. Well, there is probably some freaky science stuff going on when he does this, but I wouldn’t know. However, I DO know that whenever he works on these little “experiments” in class, I always end up fearing for my life at the extremes this guy goes to in the name of pure: cUriOsItY.</p><p>“Hey Tom, pass me that filter.” Tord points over to the little orange filter lying next to a bunch of random appliances. Tord would pull out a bunch of the lab’s equipment at the beginning of each class and start tweaking with them.</p><p>“Sure…” I sigh trying not to press any more questions onto Tord, seeing that he’s much too focused on his mixture to answer any of them anyway.</p><p>“Thanks.” He grabs the filter and starts pouring the questionable liquid through it into another vile. “Alright, here it is.” Tord holds up the new vile into the air proudly.</p><p>“Okay? What is it?” I raise an eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Well, if my hypothesis is correct, this should cause extreme bowel movement to occur upon consumption.” Tord gives his new creation a nice grin and a snicker.</p><p>“Lame. Big whoop. Taco Bell does that with almost every new food item they put out.” I cross my arms unimpressed.</p><p>“Okay true, BUT this is to a more…. efficient extent. Well, just watch.” Tord then proceeds to pour the liquid into the drink of one the guys sitting in front of us when he wasn’t looking. “Now watch.”</p><p>Tord’s smirk grows even bigger as the poor bastard goes in for a sip of his drink. The guy takes a couple hefty gulps from his cup but then stops abruptly. The other guys he was sitting with gave him an odd look before he launched up from his chair ferociously.</p><p>“Tord?” I look at Tord in concern for the guy in front of us holding his stomach and groaning loudly in front of the whole class.</p><p>“Just watch.” Tord holds out his finger indicating me to wait.</p><p>The guy backs up from his seat and starts waddling over to the doorway holding his stomach, but just before he reaches the door…... something happens.</p><p>The guy hunches over and starts groaning even louder. He moves into a squatting position and start hold his butt almost as if he were trying to hold something in.</p><p>“Tord…” My concern for this guy continues to grow and I start to get a tad more worried when I look over toward the malicious expression gleaming in Tord’s face.</p><p>“Just wait…” Tord whispers.</p><p>At this point, everyone in the class was looking at the guy and asking him to get to the bathroom already. The poor guy starts standing again and proceeds to the door in a crab walk position. </p><p>However, right before he takes another step; a big bulging egg is then shot right out of his behind. It vigorously rips through his jeans, and cracks right open upon impact with the floor.</p><p>Total silence filled the room.</p><p>There was a massive broken egg sitting in the middle the walkway to the door, and a guy with his whole ass-cheeks out bending over it.</p><p>“Tord……..what was SUPPOSED to happen?” My jaw is left hanging in shock from the horrid scene we had just witnessed.</p><p>“You know….……. that is a good question…” Tord’s eyes were wide and he was left just blankly staring into space, most likely in shock as well.</p><p>“You mean you don’t know?” I squint over at the brunette anticipating some sort of reasonable response.</p><p>“Well, it did cause extreme bowel movement, did it not?” Tord shrugs unapologetically at me and I just grab the bridge of my nose achingly.</p><p>Everyone in the class was at a loss of words, trying to determine which “crack” towards the doorway was a more horrifying sight…...</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>It was the end of our biochemistry unit and today was the day of our dissection lab. Our task is to dissect and analyze the bio-structure of a dead rat. I’m honestly pretty nervous about it too. Tord’s really smart, so I shouldn’t worry, right? Well, he’s smart, but we haven’t done anything for this unit…like at all.</p><p>We spent the entirety of the unit goofing off and conducting our own experiments. When I say “we” I mean Tord. (Well not the goofing off part, I did a lot of that too). Tord has been running his own experiments in class and none of them pertain to our lab today, so I am a bit nervous on how we’re going to on it. Don’t get me wrong, I could care less about my grade for this class, but I don’t want us to embarrass ourselves in front of the whole class when we’re handed a dead rat and all we can make it do is lay an egg. I mean, Tord should have a plan for this lab assessment, so I can’t be too worried, right?</p><p>Making my way through the doorway to the lab room, I cringe when I step over the ghostly spot of where the cracked human egg lied a week ago. Just thinking about it makes me shiver. Once I pass that traumatizing spot on the ground, I weave my way to Tord and I’s lab table. Tord is already there with his head down most likely trying to get a bit of sleep before a long boring class period of us sitting and watching other people dissect a rat for an hour straight.</p><p>Once I pull out my chair to sit, Tord’s head pops up and he greets me with loppy smile.</p><p><i>“Such a cute face…”</i> I feel my face start to flush pink as I make this mental note. Luckily Tord pays the sudden flush of pink to my face no mind as he starts to describe the odd dream he had about turning into a “Zombeh” or something.</p><p>The bell rings and our teacher strides to the center of the room and starts shushing the class so they can take attendance. After attendance was done, our teacher starts naming off each pair, and what part of the dissection each group must evaluate. Tord and I were given the rat’s heart (not like it mattered which part we got; I don’t know shit about this stuff regardless). Those dissecting the hearts presented their dissection towards the end of class, so Tord and I spent the whole first half of the class sound asleep. We both sank our heads into our arms and just let the class run as normal, that is, until we were called up to present.</p><p>“Tord! Tom!” We both rip our heads from our arms and try and look as awake as possible when our names were called. “You’re both dissecting the heart. Get your materials up here and get started.</p><p>Tord and I both slug our way up to the front of the room to grab the tools and rat heart. There was a silent agreement between Tord and I that Tord would be the one doing all of the work. He knows I don’t know what I’m doing in this class, and he seems to have a way better idea on how to go about this dissection than I do. There are three other pairs dissecting the rat at the same time we are, so I’m hoping that the other classmates are just going to look at those pairs instead of us. However, it doesn’t look like anyone in the class, aside from our teacher, is paying attention to anything. We’re in good shape.</p><p>We lay out the little rat heart onto the dissection tray and Tord just pokes at it casually with the scalpel. He still looks half-asleep and seems to have no interest in the rat heart in front of him. I just sit next to him and try and look as involved as possible, making sure the teacher sees me and thinks I’m contributing.</p><p>“Biology…” Tord mumble’s still poking at the heart.</p><p>“What of it?” I ask leaning in to look at the heart.</p><p>“I do not understand as to why we are so focused on the biology of this rat.” Tord puts down the scalpel and throws his hands into his jean pockets.</p><p>“Uhhh, maybe because this is “bio” chemistry?” I say trying to sound smart.</p><p>“Yes, bio “chemistry”. Where’s the chemistry in this dissection? We are doing nothing but normal biology right now.” </p><p>I shrug not really knowing how to respond. It’s not like I care what we do in the class, hell, we could be making muffins in this class and I wouldn’t care if it pertains to the curriculum or not.</p><p>“We are not changing the molecular DNA structure of the rat, nor are we injecting it with any kind of hormones or genetic diffusions.” Tord starts staring at the heart intensely. “Yes, there is a lack of “chemistry” in this project…” A slight grin curls to the corners of Tord’s mouth. “I say we make things more interesting…”</p><p>There’s that smirk. It would seem that Tord gets bored pretty quickly and usually flies on his own schedule with most things. Whenever him, Edd, Matt, and I would go to the arcade after school, Tord would usually break any and all rules possible for acquiring tickets. He even pulled out a BB gun out of nowhere and started shooting the ski ball machine. He didn’t even get any tickets out of it. Regardless, I could care less as to what Tord does with this project, so he can pull whatever stunt he wants as long as no one lays anymore eggs.</p><p>“Go nuts dude. Just don’t go too off script okay?”</p><p>“Of course, of course. I am only adding some “chemistry” to where it is lacking.” Tord starts fishing through his coat pocket and pulls out a handful little plastic bags full of different powders. They were all labeled, but it was written in Norwegian, so I couldn’t read what they said.</p><p>Now, I have a bad feeling.</p><p>“Tord…. what are those?” I cross my arms in an accusing manor.</p><p>“Simple additives. Do not worry Tom, I have used this stuff before.” Tord gives me a not-so reassuring wave.</p><p>“You said that last time…”</p><p>After laying out a bunch of random supplies he had hidden in his coat, Tord gets up and starts looking through some of the supply cabinets while the teacher wasn’t looking. He comes back with a couple empty beakers and some measuring spoons. He lays out the rest of the supplies on the table and gets to work on whatever he’s crafting up. He’s measuring and mixing powders and eventually he stops and just looks at me. It caught me off guard, I didn’t even realize I was watching him so intensely the whole time.</p><p>“Y-yes?” I studder out.</p><p>“This may get interesting Tom.” He starts to snicker.</p><p>“Why?” I tilt my head in confusion.</p><p>“Well, I guess we will know just how interesting things will get once I inject it.”</p><p>“Inject what?”</p><p>“This!” Tord shows me the syringe we picked earlier with the other dissection supplies. This time the syringe was full of some ominous liquid.</p><p>“What are you going to do with it?”</p><p>“I am going to inject it into the rat’s heart.” Tord’s smile reaches his eyes <strike>cutely</strike>.</p><p>“And then what?” I smile in response to Tord’s childish demeanor.</p><p>“Okay, well to put it simply...…it’ll explode”</p><p>My jaw drops</p><p>“A tiny one! Almost like popping some bubble wrap, I promise.” Tord gives me an innocent smile but I see right through it.</p><p>“Tord…”</p><p>“Tom, listen. I put this chemical into some water to delude it. It shouldn’t be that strong, right?” He holds up one of the little plastic bags holding one of the questionable powders.</p><p>“Shouldn’t be?” I give him an unsure look before he continues to persuade me.</p><p>“Trust me, this is going to be way more interesting than just staring at a tiny rat heart for ten minutes.”</p><p>“Can’t argue with that…...go for it.” Tord gives me a smile of appreciation and then proceeds to stare deeply into the syringe before putting it in the heart.</p><p>I’ve notice that Tord has a habit of only conducting harmful experiments. He never makes anything good. It’s all destructive. Maybe when he gets older, he’ll use his talent for the better of humanity. It would suck if he ever used his talent for evil or some cheesy bullshit like that.</p><p>“Here we go…” I stand up from my chair and hover over Tord as he holds down the rat heart with a gloved hand and slowly starts to penetrate the heart with the needle.</p><p>“Tord, I know it’s supposed to a small explosion, but I wouldn’t stick your face so close-”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>KABOOM!</b>
</p><p> </p><p>A loud blast goes surging through the whole room. Old rat blood and fluid are spread all over the lab. The rat heart was nowhere to be found. It was blown to complete smithereens, leaving a massive crater in Tord and I’s lab table. It’s a miracle the table is still standing with the gaping hole that was just blown through it.</p><p>I’m left completely still. My hair is somehow blown back further than before. I can feel some rat juice drip down the side of my face as I slowly try and piece together what on earth just happened.</p><p>“Tiny?” What part of that was tiny?! There’s smoke clouding the whole room making it hard to make out the other people in the class. A strong smell of combustion exhaust swelled the air also making it a bit harder to breathe. That was way bigger than Tord said it would be. Wait. Tord was way closer to the explosion than I was…</p><p>“T-Tord are you al-” I look over to the side of me and as the smoke cleared to lays my eyes on a truly chilling sight…</p><p>His eyes were vibrating with pure ecstasy. A venomous smile ate up his whole face. His hands were shaking aggressively, still hovering the area where the little rat heart once laid. I wasn’t sure if he was shaking from the shock of the explosion, or from pure elation in the result. It was an expression I had never seen before, especially on Tord. He almost looked like a completely different person.</p><p>Still standing over Tord in shock, everything doesn’t really sink in until our teacher starts slowly approaching us.</p><p>Our teacher stops straight in their tracks once reaching our lab table. They were absolutely appalled by the look in Tord’s face.</p><p>“You two…leave…leave right now.” Their tone was low and serious.</p><p>“Uhm…but we-” Our teacher starts to cut me off before I can come up with some kind of defense to the massive explosion that just befell onto the class.</p><p>“Tom!” Or teacher takes a deep inhale and starts talking through their teeth. “Both of you…...go to the principal’s office this instant….” They start almost shaking in anger. “Do not make me say it twice…”</p><p>“O-okay!” I quickly grab Tord’s arm, making him finally drop the blown-up syringe and his half-burned up glove and start pacing out the door holding onto Tord behind me.</p><p>We start pacing down the hall and then eventually start walking once we were far enough away from the lab room. Tord has stayed quiet so far, but I start to worry if the explosion had some effect on him.</p><p>“Tord…” Stopping in my tracks, I let go of Tord’s arm and he stops right beside me.</p><p>“Y-yes…” His smile from earlier had completely disappeared and has his eyes actively averting mine.</p><p>“You said it would be small…” I lean in near him.</p><p>He hesitates a second before speaking.</p><p>“Yeah, well….” He continues to keep his eyes lock to the ground as his face swells with guilt. “I could have deluded the powder more…but a piece of me wanted to see what would happen…”</p><p>“So, you lied to me, and purposefully made the explosion bigger than you said you would?” I raise an eyebrow at him, and he continues to avoid my gaze.</p><p>“Y-yes….”</p><p>After taking a deep breath, and processing Tord’s words; I finally let out a chuckle.</p><p>Tord whips his head towards me and gives me a confused look.</p><p>“Wow, I was so worried that we would embarrass ourselves in front of everyone, but I guess this works out better.” I laugh to myself.</p><p>Tord blinks a couple times before inching at me with a question.</p><p>“You are not mad?” He looks at me desperately.</p><p>“No, why would I be? That was the coolest thing to ever happen in that class, no, in this school.” I let out another chuckle and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for something to blow up in that class for weeks!”</p><p>A smile starts to creep onto Tord’s face.</p><p>“Did you see the crater it made?” He raises an eyebrow at me with a cocky grin.</p><p>“Yeah, that shit was crazy! Where do you get that explosive stuff from anyway?” </p><p>Tord always has the most random stuff on him and I can piece together maybe as to why he has them on him all the time (for situations like these), but where does he get it from?</p><p>“I made them.” Tord puts his hands on his hips proudly.</p><p>“What? How?”</p><p>“If I told you the specifics on how, would you even understand?” He hits me with the “you’re not as smart enough to understand such advanced subjects.” typical response. To which, per usual with this response; he is not wrong.</p><p>“Either way, that shit was cool.” We both start to chuckle to ourselves.</p><p>As we start to pick up our walking pace again, the repercussions of our actions we may face in the principal’s office starts to sink in. I start to frown a bit and look at the ground.</p><p>“We’re going to be in big trouble…” I say with a depressed tone.</p><p>“Oh well. What is principal going to do? Give us the beating?” Tord raises any eyebrow at me.</p><p>I start to chuckle out loud again and Tord gives me an alarmed look.</p><p>“What?” He says in a nervous tone.</p><p>“A beating.”</p><p>“Hm?” Tord tilts his head at me.</p><p>“It’s “a” beating, not “the” beating.” I smile at him.</p><p>“Oh…English is not easy.” Tord looks down shyly.</p><p>“Yeah, I know. You do really well though most of the time, there are just some occasions where you slip up a little.” I ruffle his hair and chuckle.</p><p>“Whatever.” Tord sighs. “Either way we should not be worried, what is principal going to do?”</p><p>“It’s “the” principal. You missed the “the” when you said it earlier as well.” I chime in and Tord throws his head down in frustration.</p><p>“I always mess those up….” He pouts and I giggle to myself.</p><p>“Hey, your English is better than some of the idiots in this school who have been speaking it their whole lives. Plus, it’s impressive to have two languages nailed down at our age. I bet no one in this school can speak an ounce of Norwegian.” I ruffle his hair some more and try to cheer him up.</p><p>“I guess….” He picks his head up and tries to continue his point from earlier. “The principal cannot hurt us, so there is no reason to worry.” He gives me a reassuring grin.</p><p>“I guess, but we’re most likely going to get yelled at.” I sigh.</p><p>Tord shrugs and wears a nonchalant look on his face. This tells me that this kid is probably used to receiving scolding’s from people and based of the “little” explosion from earlier; I’m not surprised either.</p><p>Well, this isn’t awful. Tord’s a pretty cool guy, so I don’t mind being in trouble with him. It’s pretty cool how close we’ve gotten over the past three weeks. I’ve never been able to talk to others that well, but being with Tord calms my nerves a bit. It’s nice having him around…</p>
<hr/><p>He’s always been like that…</p><p>There were numerous instances where Tord and I would get in trouble like that. School was never something I took seriously, so it didn’t bother me how often we were sent to the principle’s office. Plus, sometimes I was the one that would get us in trouble and get us sent to the principle’s office. Either way, we found ourselves sticking pretty close to each other in school because of situations like these. We weren’t as bad once we entered high school, but there were some other…. issues…. in high school that acted as a tradeoff for the mischief. I guess that’s a story for another day.</p><p>I raise my head from my arms and watch the moonlight peak through my closed blinds, illuminating the other half of my room. When did it get so dark out? I must have sitting here for a while, I’m not really the type to mope around…...sober.</p><p>Propping myself off the ground, I decide that it was time to go into the kitchen and do what I do best in situations like these: drink.</p><p>“I need some Smirnoff….” I mumble to myself as I reach for the doorknob.</p><p>Right when I open my door to sneak my way into the kitchen, A red figure is sitting on the floor in the hallway leaning on the wall across my door.</p><p>“T-Tord?” I call out.</p><p>He raises his head from his phone, and then tilts his head to the side giving me one of his awkward smiles.</p><p>“Hello….” He raises his hand and gestures a tiny wave a me.</p><p>I choke back a couple tears and stare at him as plainly as I can.</p><p>Why does he always show up at times like these when I <b>want</b> to be alone, but can’t stay with me when I <b>need</b> him to…...?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I type Tord with the accent in mind btw, so make what you will with at.</p><p> </p><p>There "shell" be another chapter soon, so stay tuned!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Some Colors Never Mix</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tord appears at Tom's bedroom door and Tom is not happy to see him, but that was expected.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p>
<p>Happy Reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1>
<p>I can never read this guy…</p>
<p>Whenever I do anything, Tom tends to get upset. Yes, I do want this response most of the time, but sometimes I really do just want to have a fair talk with him. The problem is: I can never tell what’s going on in his head. </p>
<p>He’s angry ninety-nine percent of the time, so I just assume that when approaching him. However, there are times when he acts oddly warm even though I know he should be furious with me. He’s not the type to easily talk about his feelings, I just have to guess every time. I never know if I have done anything wrong until after it is done. I just sit and wait for the storm to hit or maybe the occasional wave.</p>
<p>We’ve known each other for so long, but yet, he won’t open up to me. He never tells me how he’s feeling, so can you blame me for having to guess all the time?</p>
<p>I always fuck up and leave him upset, and in the end, I can never point pinpoint where I messed up. He is so…. confusing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tom’s door creaks open, and I prep for what I’m hoping is a civil conversation between two grown men.</p>
<p>“T-Tord?” His voice leaks out from the night silence.</p>
<p>Tom looks frozen in his tracks, most likely shocked by my sudden appearance at his door.</p>
<p>“Hello….” I smile and give him a tiny wave back.</p>
<p>He stares at me coldly in his doorway, holding a defensive front.</p>
<p>“It has almost been a full week now since I have been back, you know? Don’t you feel like we should talk?” I raise an inviting eyebrow at him, trying to look as peaceful as I can.</p>
<p>“No.” He says plainly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his blue hoodie.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>“Classic Tom…”</i> I smile to myself, knowing from the beginning that this was not going to be easy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, maybe you have nothing to say to me, but I have a lot to say to you.” I stand up from the ground and point my thumb out in the direction of the front door. “Why don’t we go out for a night stroll?” I try and throw him another friendly smile to ease the mood.</p>
<p>“No. If you have something to say, say it here.” His voice his low and serious, and his dark eye sockets stare deeply at me with pure venom.</p>
<p>“You really haven’t changed, huh? Still as defensive as always.” Tom just stares at me with the same stern expression, not too happy about my remark.</p>
<p>Tucking my hands into my pockets I take an exhale before starting a conversation I may come to regret later…</p>
<p>My eyes travel over to his’ and the tightness in my chest starts to ease up. Just looking at Tom always calms me a bit, even when he hates my guts. It is relieving just staring at him.</p>
<p>“I missed you, Tom.” I confess, having no real direction in how to start this talk.</p>
<p>“Bullshit.” His voice is stern, and his eyes shoot daggers through my solid demeanor.</p>
<p>“I have…believe it or not.” I shrug.</p>
<p>“If you did, then why leave in the first place?” His glare was hard but there was a pain in his voice.</p>
<p>“Then, that means you missed me as well, no?” Giving him a sheepish smile, I start to see him grind his teeth.</p>
<p>“…. answer the question Tord…” Tom’s anger starts to fill the entire hallway. </p>
<p>“Okay fine.” I hold up my hands defensively. “I had things to do…”</p>
<p>“Stop with the ambiguity Tord.” His surly expression hardens, and he takes his hands out of his pockets and crosses them over each other against his chest.</p>
<p>“It was important, Tom, I promise.” I plea.</p>
<p>“……. are you going to answer the question, or not?” Tom clenches his teeth further and I notice something…odd.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <i>“Were his teeth always that…...sharp?”</i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My random thought was ripped from my head as soon as Tom continued.</p>
<p>“If you’re not going to be straightforward in this little “chat”, I’m out.” Tom starts to turn around and head into his room before I reach forward, grabbing his arm.</p>
<p>“Tom, wait!” I grip his wrist.</p>
<p>He’s mad, very mad, but that dip in his voice earlier gave me a little hope in this conversation turning out in my favor. I just can’t mess it up…</p>
<p>“Let go, I’m not in the mood right now…” He tries to jerk off my grip.</p>
<p>“You never are!” I start to snap. “Every time I try and handle things the “right” way, you never cooperate with me!” He avoids my gaze and tries pulls his arm away.</p>
<p>“You-…” I take an exhale before continuing. “You have such a short fuse, and I am just trying to be civil here.” I pull him closer out from the doorway towards me. “Tom...”</p>
<p>Tom stops pulling away and stares at the floor for a couple seconds before starting to speak.</p>
<p>“I just can’t stand looking at you right now, Tord…”</p>
<p>“Fine, then we can talk like this.” Tom’s back is to me in the doorway of his bedroom and I have him by his left wrist as he has his eyes glued to the floor. This is not the ideal position I wanted to be in when having this conversation, but I will take what I can get with him.</p>
<p>“Whatever, just get talking, ya stupid commie.”</p>
<p>He’s hurt, I know he is. He doesn’t show it very easily but the tone in his voice earlier gave it all away, he is just not saying it. Can’t he just be more honest with me? This is why we fight so often. He is never honest with me, and all I ever do is try to understand him. My approach on the matter is not always the most favorable approach, but I still try.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry Tom.” I drift my gaze off to the ground as well. “I left you and the other guys without saying much…. I know that I hurt you.”</p>
<p>Tom keeps silent, but I continue.</p>
<p>“Leaving seemed like the only option for me at the time. You know I had to follow my dreams Tom.” I say this and I see him start to grind his teeth again.</p>
<p>“You didn’t say a word to any of us after you left…. not even a call or text.” The anger in his voice had subsided slightly to a more crestfallen tone. “We heard nothing from you for eight years Tord…”</p>
<p>“You are correct, and for that, I am sorry.” I tighten my grip on Tom’s wrist. “I cannot disclose too much information on my whereabouts over the past couple years, but everything I did while I was gone never felt right. I needed a change, so I came back! I missed you guys…”</p>
<p>While this reasoning for my return is only partially true, I really did miss something: Tom.</p>
<p>After leaving the house eight years ago, nothing I had was enough. No matter how large my following grew, it was not enough. I wanted more and more, but nothing felt right once I had it. Thinking of Tom was the only thing that would bring me some joy in my tedious workdays. It took me years, but now I know; Tom is like my other half, I <b>need</b> him in my life.</p>
<p>“You still could’ve said something….” Tom’s entire face becomes completely crestfallen and pained and he starts to mutter. “You never told me about this “passion”, not even once….”</p>
<p>“I am sorry. How can I make this up to you?” I plea.</p>
<p>“You can’t. Just leave me alone.” His voice is cold and distant.</p>
<p>“I will not. Tom, you know how much you mean to me-”</p>
<p>“THEN WHY DID YOU LEAVE?!” Tom lashes back at me and his voice echoes throughout the empty hallways of the house. “Please…just leave me alone, Tord.” His voice starts to shake.</p>
<p>I contemplate leaving. That would be the smart move, but I know I can’t leave him this upset.</p>
<p>I tighten my grip on his wrist and pull him closer to me, making him grunt in response.</p>
<p>“Tord, let go-”</p>
<p>“No.” I pull Tom in closer, trying to get his eyes to lock with mine. “I did not want to hurt you back then. Just stop making everything so hard and just let me apologize! I fucked up; I know! Just talk to me civilly, Tom…”</p>
<p>Tom starts to squirm his arm, but I hold on tighter and continue.</p>
<p>“You do not have to like me, nor do not have to forgive me, but can we at least live together without the malice?” I tilt my head pleading.</p>
<p>He stops squirming his arm and lets it drop lifelessly under my grip.</p>
<p>“You’re awful.” He mutters under his breath while keeping his gaze to the ground.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, I know, but we cannot live in the same house screaming at each other all of the time….no one wants that. Let us act civilly here…. okay?”</p>
<p>He stands there leaving me in total silence for what seems like years just before he catches me off guard and pulls his head up to face me directly.</p>
<p>“You’re right.” He sighs. “Edd and Matt really missed you, and I don’t want to make them uncomfortable around the house.” His face looks sure and the tensity he created in the hallway had lightened.</p>
<p>“Right, the last thing I would like to do is to make anyone uncomfortable.” I give him another sheepish smile. “Are we good?”</p>
<p>He hesitates for a couple seconds and a small smile curls to the corner of his mouth.</p>
<p>“Yeah, fine.”</p>
<p>“Friends?” I hold out my hand waiting for Tom to shake.</p>
<p>He just looks at my hand for a couple of seconds.</p>
<p>“Not quite.” An emotionless smile arises to his face and he waves me off as he turns to enter his room for the night.</p>
<p>He slams the door and I just stand behind the door looking at my open hand for a couple of seconds before tucking it into my hoodie pocket. I start walking down the hallway over to my room and start to mentally review over the conversation that had just occurred between us.</p>
<p>This is progress. It is not the ideal pacing that I wanted to be at upon returning back to the house, but this will do. He does not hate me completely, so I should just be patient. If I act too soon; he will distance himself from me again. Eventually he will give in, and things will go back to the way they were before…</p>
<p>Just as my hand hits the doorknob to my room, a thought pops into my head and I whip my head back to look at Tom’s door.</p>
<p>Wait. Why did he even leave his room to begin with if he was just going to go back in? I stop in my tracks to think about this for a couple seconds outside my bedroom door before it hits me.</p>
<p><i>“Ah, booze….”</i> I smirk to myself. <i>“…. classic Tom…”</i></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope nothing his too confusing. Ya'll won't really know the specifics on Tord's leaving for a while, but just know that he left  by choice and the results of his leaving were not as satisfactory as he had wanted them to be. He was missing.......something.</p>
<p>Next chapter comes out soon! (It's a funny one).</p>
<p>See you then!</p>
<p>;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Breakfast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time for breakfast!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope everyone is doing swell, and is staying hydrated. I really had fun typing this chapter, so enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>“Were you lads fighting last night?” Edd gives me an honest look and I start to fidget in my chair.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, a little. Did you hear?” I look over at Edd with a guilty expression.</p>
<p>“Kind of.” Edd shrugs and takes a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.</p>
<p>“Sorry Edd…” I frown and he just waves me off dismissively.</p>
<p>“It’s no big deal. Over the years I’ve just grown accustom to tuning out your two’s little quarrels.” Edd shoves another spoonful into his mouth casually and tunes his focus back onto his cereal bowl.</p>
<p>“Oh, well that’s good, I guess…?” I’m not so sure if I’m too happy to hear that Tord and I have argued so much in the past that Edd has just tuned us out like white noise. He shouldn’t have to do that in his own house.</p>
<p>“Did you two solve anything out?” Edd keeps his focus on his cereal bowl as he asks me nonchalantly.</p>
<p>“Kind of…” I hesitate in my response seeing that all that resulted in last night’s little “talk” was us now being on speaking terms with each other.</p>
<p>“Well, try not to come at each other’s throats too much. We all live together after all!” Edd flashes me a wide smile and then proceeds to continue eating his cereal.</p>
<p>All Edd ever wanted was for all of us to live together in peace. When Tord left, Edd was torn (<strike>so was I</strike>), and yet he was always making sure to stay cheery about the situation. Edd has always valued the four of us greatly, so having Tord leave was surly heartbreaking, but at the same time, he wanted what was best for Tord. Now that he’s back, Edd just wants us all to get along the best we can. The LEAST I can do is hold cordial conversations with the scumbag. </p>
<p>“Will do.” I nod.</p>
<p>After Edd and I finish breakfast in the kitchen, Edd grabs a can of cola from the fridge and we work our way to the living room to throw ourselves onto the couch in front of our TV and start watching some random movie that was already playing when we got there.</p>
<p>We all work from home, so most days move like this where we all do our own thing until we get bored and fry our brains watching the TV for hours on end. I started working as a freelance animator a couple years back and Edd is the writer for some web-comic or whatever. Apparently the webcomic and overall series is like super popular or whatever, but I don’t really see why anyone would read that low-budget garbage. </p>
<p>Matt is a…. Matt does…. uhh…. you know, I’m not quite sure what Matt does. Matt is home all the time like Edd and I, but I’m not quite sure what he does for a living. He pays the bills and all, so he has to be making money somehow. I guess, I never really asked him. Oh well, surely, I’ll find out one of these days, right?</p>
<p>“What are you lads watching?” Matt pops in from behind the couch.</p>
<p>Speaking of the devil.</p>
<p>“I don’t really know. It’s a movie about some cowboys.” Edd turns his head behind the couch at Matt who is peering over us.</p>
<p>“Oh. Sounds boring.” Matt shifts his gaze over to the kitchen. “Is there anything to eat for breakfast?”</p>
<p>“There should be. Walk over there and check.” Edd slouches back into position and starts mindlessly flipping through channels on the TV.</p>
<p>“Ugh, but I don’t want to walk that far….” Matt gives us a crestfallen expression, pleading for one of us to go and check for him despite the kitchen only being a couple feet away from the couch.</p>
<p>“Guess you’re not that hungry.” I say while mindlessly watching Edd flip through channels.</p>
<p>“Ugh!” Matt whines out and whips his head towards the hallway. “Wait, hey Torddy!”</p>
<p>My heart stops as I hear some familiar footsteps come from down the hall and walk behind the couch.</p>
<p>“What?” Tord says lazily making his way through the living room.</p>
<p>“Would you be a dearest and check the fridge to see if there is anything for breakfast?” Matt holds his hands together, pleading for Tord to go for him. “These lads already ate and didn’t ensure there was anything left for us. Isn’t that rude?!” Matt points at Edd and I accusingly while we both keep our eyes glued to the TV still not having found anything interesting to watch.</p>
<p>“Doesn’t matter to me.” Tord shrugs plainly. “As long as there is still some bacon left, I’m set.” Tord starts making his way over to the kitchen when Edd chimes in.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, I ate the last of the bacon yesterday.” Edd says casually while still flipping through channels.</p>
<p>Tord stops in his tracks and whips his head towards Edd.</p>
<p>“YOU DID WHAT?!” Tord raises his voice and looks at Edd with intent to kill.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I forgot to tell you. Sorry lad, better luck next time.” Edd shrugs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not again. This cannot be happening again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I look back behind the couch over at Matt who is sweating profusely. He gives me a worried look and I shoot him one back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This cannot be happening again….</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tord’s eyes are blinded with rage as he marches over to the couch where Edd and I were sitting and rounds right in front of Edd.</p>
<p>I slip out from the other side of the couch and tiptoe over to Matt who was hiding behind the thin coat rack as some sort of protection from the potential brawl that was going to break out.</p>
<p>“Edd...” Tord’s voice was leaking with rage and Edd just sat there unconcerned.</p>
<p>“I said sorry. Just find something else to eat.” Edd says flatly still flipping through channels.</p>
<p>All Tord’s wearing is a red tee shirt and black joggers, so I don’t think he’s armed. If a fight were to break out, luckily it wouldn’t involve any artillery. That doesn’t help too much though seeing how last time this happened, Tord threw the couch right through the wall. Yeah…. this can still get pretty bad….</p>
<p>“It was the last piece….” Tord grits through his teeth.</p>
<p>“And I said that you can find something else to eat. Stop being so immature.” Edd replies plainly.</p>
<p>Tord’s murderous expression changes to a grin as he puts his hands on his hips proudly.</p>
<p>“If that’s how you want to be, then I’ll tell you the truth!” Tord’s grin grows even wider. “It was I that look the last piece of bacon the first day I came back!” Tord’s signature grin takes up his whole face and Edd just sits there silently.</p>
<p>Ya know, Edd still looks pretty calm, so there is a chance that this won’t get too out of hand.</p>
<p>“What?! That was you?! I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” Edd’s eyes light up red with fury.</p>
<p>Spoke too soon…</p>
<p>Edd rips himself from the couch and hooks Tord a nice one to the face. Tord stumbles back and hits the wall, shaking some of the picture frames hung on said wall.</p>
<p>Matt and I both know that there is no point in trying to talk these two out of this, so I soon join Matt behind the thin coat rack.</p>
<p>“You…” Tord just stares at Edd for a couple seconds before tackling him onto the coffee table in front of the TV, breaking the table in half as a result.</p>
<p>“Tom, stop them….” Matt looks back at me with a worrisome expression.</p>
<p>“You must be out of your bloody mind if you think I’m getting in the middle of that.” I throw a disapproving look at Matt.</p>
<p>“Please…they’ll listen to you.” Matt whispers back and gives me some cheesy puppy dog eyes.</p>
<p>“No, they especially WON’T listen to me. Why don’t you do it?” I bark back.</p>
<p>“What?!” Matt gasps dramatically. “Why would I risk hurting my beautiful face and get in the middle of THAT.” Matt gives the horrific fight in the living room a disgusted look.</p>
<p>“Well, what about my pretty face?” I protest.</p>
<p>“You need to have a pretty face first before worrying that it’ll get hurt.” Matt replies back plainly.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I walked into that one…” I sigh.</p>
<p>“Just like how you walked into this fight.” Matt adds.</p>
<p>“Wait, what?” Matt shoves me froward into the living room where Tord is currently holding Edd in a chokehold.</p>
<p>That chokehold quickly changes into Edd lifting Tord up over his head and slamming him into the bookcase, breaking through it with how much force was put into the throw.</p>
<p>“Oh God…” I look back towards Matt in despair and Matt just points back at me.</p>
<p>“Get going!” He whispers in a shoving tone.</p>
<p>“Ugh. Why me?” I whisper to myself.</p>
<p>Tord starts to prop himself back up rather quickly from the harsh throw, and Edd holds out his fist anticipating another attack from Tord.</p>
<p>Edd throws Tord another punch and while Tord is taken back from the hit I reach behind Edd and hold him back from throwing another punch. Judging by Tord’s face he decided to take this as an opportunity to get a free hit on Edd.</p>
<p>“Tord don’t!” I yell holding back Edd who’s squirming to get out from my grasp.</p>
<p>To my utter surprise, Tord stopped mid-way through the punch.</p>
<p>“You two need to cool it! You guys are tearing the house apart, and your scaring Matt!” I yell at the two.</p>
<p>“Yeah!” Matt hollers from behind the coat rack.</p>
<p>“We can just go out and buy more bacon, okay?!” I suggest and both stay silent.</p>
<p>Edd stops squirming and just looks down at the tattered floor beneath his feet. Tord is stopped mid-punch and throws his hands into the pockets of his joggers.</p>
<p>“You’re right…” Edd says still looking at the ground.</p>
<p>“Mhm…” Tord mumbles and looks off to the side. He’s obviously still pissed.</p>
<p>“Okay, now, let’s get this cleaned up.” I slowly let go of Edd and he slouches his shoulders and grabs the back of his neck.</p>
<p>“Sorry about the mess…” Edd says sounding slightly ashamed.</p>
<p>“It’s fine, let’s just get it cleaned up.” I start to go and grab the broom from the closet by the hallway entrance.</p>
<p>“No.” Edd says stopping me in my tracks.</p>
<p>“I’ll clean it up…” Edd picks his head up and gives me an apologetic smile. “I threw the first punch anyway…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but Torddy started it by getting so mad in the first place.”  Matt magically appears beside me pointing his finger at Tord who is just standing in the center of the living room pouting to himself.</p>
<p>“If he had not taken the last piece, then I would not have gotten so mad to begin with...…” Tord mutters to himself. It seems that I was the only one who heard that remark judging by Edd’s lack of reaction. Tord can be so childish sometimes.</p>
<p>“You may be right Matt, but I don’t think it would be smart for the both of us to be cleaning together right now…” Edd shifts his gaze to the floor.</p>
<p>Ain’t that a fucking point. They should get some space from each other until they both simmer down.</p>
<p>“I’ll clean up and Tord can go to the store and get us some more bacon.” Edd adds.</p>
<p>“Okay, I guess...” Matt sighs and I nod my head in agreement.</p>
<p>Smart idea, and both are being kept productive as well. Everything seems to be working itself out.</p>
<p>“And Tom can go with him.” Edd adds.</p>
<p>“Sounds like a good idea to—hubba what?” I cut off from nodding and I whip my head towards Edd with wide eyes.</p>
<p>“You two can head over to the grocery store down the street and Matt and I can clean up here.” Edd picks his head up to look at me.</p>
<p>“What the hell? Why?” I say in an admittingly whiny tone.</p>
<p>“Tom please…” Edd gives me a sincere look as I search for a single good reason as to why I should comply.</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me!” Matt says snatching the broom from my hands.</p>
<p>“What? Matt you hate cleaning.” I squint at Matt and he just gives me a sheepish smile and a shrug.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I really don’t want to be stuck with Torddy when he’s pissed’n all.” He whispers into my ear. “Plus, you have way more experience dealing with an angry Torddy than I do.” Matt pats me on the back and gives me a “you can’t refuse” smile.</p>
<p>I look back at Edd for some hope in him changing his decision, but he just gives me a pleading look back.</p>
<p>“You said you guys worked things out, what’s the issue?” Edd tilts his head and smiles.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah but—oh whatever…” There was no winning this debate seeing that Edd and Matt were on the same page. Not only that, Edd may not fully believe that Tord and I solved everything out between us. I have to give him some sort of reassurance.</p>
<p>“Alright, well then, you two should get going then!” Edd perks up. “Matt and I have some cleaning to do and some people to call about the damages!”</p>
<p>“Aww, okay.” Matt whines most likely remembering that he picked the better of two evils by cleaning instead of going with Tord, but still forgetting his still dislike for cleaning.</p>
<p>I groan and make my way over to the front door to put my shoes on while Tord soon follows me right after to do the same. He stays oddly quiet, but I pay it no mind as we walk out the door.</p>
<p><i>“This is going to be rough….”</i> I mumble to myself as Tord and I start what should have been a twenty-minute trip to the grocery store and back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Lets hope the two can last a trip to the grocery store without killing each other...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Normal-ish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After the horrendous brawl; Tom and Tord are stuck going grocery shopping, but they take a little detour....</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yo, I don't got much to say, so Hi!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>It was actually a really nice day for a walk to the grocery store. The sun had been beaming in on us, but there was a nice cool wind, so the heat wasn’t overbearing at all. I’m in my blue hoodie comfortably, so it works out just fine. There were not too many people out on the walkways either, so it was quite peaceful especially with the sounds from the tweeting birds and wind chimes outside people’s flats. It’s a lovely day for a not-so lovely situation.</p>
<p>The both of us are walking side by side at a neutral pace and there is this weird silence between us. Tord is just staring at the ground still looking irritated from his fight earlier with Edd. Tord is never the one to start cordial conversations, so of course I feel pressured to be the one to break the silence. However, today is not going to be that day.</p>
<p>I am completely content with going to the grocery store and back without exchanging a single word with each other. Edd is happy knowing that we are going to the store together, so let’s just keep it at that. There is no need for us to exchange words and it’s not going to happen anyway unless I initiate the conversation. There’s no way Tord would ever start a cordial conversation between us, especially since he just came back after leaving for eight years. Tord is never the one to start up a chat, especially with these conditions, so I seem to be in the clear for this little excursion-</p>
<p>“So, you told Edd we worked things out, no?” Tord cocks an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>
  <i>What?</i>
</p>
<p>He’s never been the one to start conversations out of the blue. I’m usually the one who would carry our conversations in the past. I would have to choke words out of Tord to get him to speak sometimes. Back then…</p>
<p>No, there is no point in thinking about the past. It has been eight years, of course Tord’s social skills have improved. I mean we’re both adults, this is natural.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I had to give him some reassurance, doesn’t mean it’s true.” I stare down to my feet.</p>
<p>“Ah yes, but it could be?” Tord flashes me a loppy smile.</p>
<p>“Yeah, no.” I quicken my pace a bit and Tord does the same.</p>
<p>“Hey, wait.” Tord grabs my wrist and I shake it off.</p>
<p>“What?” I say with a snarl and whip my head back at him.</p>
<p>“Let’s get the bacon on the way back, want to go to the park?” Tord flashes me another smile making my think that he is obviously trying to come off nicer than before.</p>
<p>“Did you not just have a tantrum over bacon a couple minutes ago?” I tilt my head at him. “I would think you’d want the bacon as soon as possible?”</p>
<p>“Yes, and as I said; we can get it on the way back.” He says maintaining the same artificial smile.</p>
<p>“Why would I go with you?” I turn to him and cross my arms.</p>
<p>“Because…” He starts. “Edd wants us to get along better, so let’s try and talk like old times.”<br/>
I fell a pang in my chest hearing those words:</p>
<p>
  <i>“Like old times…”</i>
</p>
<p>It’s <i>never</i> going to be like “old times” for us. He messed that up when he left and didn’t say a word for eight fucking years. Even seeing him after this many years just brings me no joy. We can never go back to the way we used to be because <i>he</i> messed that up. Now I’m the only one left hurt after it all and he looks just fine. Completely unbothered by the distance that <i>he</i> created between us. Now, he wants things to be like old times? What a fucking scumbag.</p>
<p>“No, let’s get the bacon and go.” I turn around back to the direction of the grocery store. “If you want to go to the park, go by yourself.”</p>
<p>“Tom, do not be so cold. I am trying to work things out between us.” Tord starts following after me trying to match my pace.</p>
<p>“Let’s not do anything we don’t have to. Edd’s not here, so we don’t have to act all “buddy-buddy” with each other.”</p>
<p>“Let’s not do it for Edd then!” Tord steps in front of me, cutting me off abruptly. “Let’s do it for us…”</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <i>“Us?”</i>
  </b>
</p>
<p>“There is no “us”.” I say sternly.</p>
<p>“Tom, please?” He begs, but I hold my ground with him.</p>
<p>“What do you want from me? Why do you try this hard when you’re the one who left?” I cross my arms at him again and he just stares at the ground.</p>
<p>“…. because I care about you.” He confesses.</p>
<p>“If you did you wouldn’t have left.” I spit back.</p>
<p>“It is because I care that I came back!” Tord grabs my arm again, pleading. “If I truly did not care, why would I come back Tom?”</p>
<p>“That’s because….” I hesitate, not being able to come up with a counter.</p>
<p>“I want to make things right between us. Tom, you know I don’t like it when your upset…I never wanted to keep things that way….” </p>
<p>There is a sense of surety in his eyes is making it hard to not believe him. I want to believe him.</p>
<p>“Ugh, you’re giving me a headache Tord…” I sigh and run my fingers through my hair.</p>
<p>“Then come! Let us go to the park to ease your head a bit.” Tord pulls my arm out drags me in the opposite direction of the grocery store towards the park near our house.</p>
<p>“H-hey!” Tord continues to pull my arm leading me to the park, and knowing Tord, no matter how much I protest, he’ll always get what he wants.</p>
<p>
  <i>“He’s always like that…...”</i>
</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>After a couple minutes of Tord dragging me by the arm through our residence area, we finally reach the tiny park by our house.</p>
<p>It’s a nice park, it’s right outside the bar. There are countless times when I would get wasted at said bar, and wander around this very park trying to catch the ducks or some dumb shit like that. I’m always drunk coming here, so I never remember what happens too often when we come here. The real question is: why am I here? A better question is: Why am I here with Tord? An EVEN better question is: Why am I here with Tord, sober? Hopefully one of these three problems gets solved or I’m just going to stay grumpy.</p>
<p>We walk around the park silently for a while before Tord suggest we sit down by the park’s long stream by the pond. I hesitate, but considering that Tord already dragged me ALL the way over here I might as well comply with the little things…...for now.</p>
<p>We sit in the grass by the stream and Tord takes a deep breath into the blowing wind.</p>
<p>“Ah~! This is nice, no?” He tilts his head at me anticipating a response.</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure.” I say dully.</p>
<p>“Remember when you got drunk over here and tried to swim with the ducks in the middle of the night?” Tord points to the end of the stream by the pond and starts unveiling hidden memories locked in my head.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, I thought they could teach me how to swim.” I shrug.</p>
<p>“Do you not already know, though?” Tord flashes me a skeptical look and I just shrug again.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I wanted to do it the way the ducks did it. All they do is flop their little feet a bit, lucky bastards…” I scowl at the ducks floating down the stream.</p>
<p>Tord chuckles a bit and I can feel a rush of pink enter my cheeks. Why does his laugh always get to me like this?</p>
<p>“Yeah, you always did dumb stuff when you were drunk.” Tord props himself back on his arms and looks towards the sky.</p>
<p>“Still do. Not like you would know though.” I snap back.</p>
<p>“You are right, I have not seen you drunk in a while….” Tord face looks pained and he shifts his heads down to his chest and gazes at his feet, hidden by a bunch of dandelions. </p>
<p>Okay, that was a tad harsh. He went out of his way to drag us here, the least I can do is not be as bitter as usual towards him.</p>
<p>I sigh and try to change the subject.</p>
<p>“You bulked up a bit since that last time I saw you.” I say looking at the dandelions by my feet as well.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah that was because…. uhhhh…” Tord looks to the side and scrambles to find his words.</p>
<p>“You look good though.” I add in trying to center his thoughts back, away from wherever they were going.</p>
<p>“Are you coming on to me?” Tord cocks an eyebrow at me and I feel my face flush pink again.</p>
<p>“W-why does your mind always wander that way? Can’t one guy just complement another guy’s stature?” I cross my arms in protest.</p>
<p>“Of course, but where I come from that would be interpreted as a sign of flirtation.” He grins.</p>
<p>“Really?” I turn my head in shock.</p>
<p>“Yes! Where I come from, as well as the rest of the world.” Tord pops a wink at me.</p>
<p>“God, you’re annoying…” I shake my head toss a pebble into the stream.</p>
<p>“No, you’re just too easy to pick on~” Tord chuckles and I try and hide my face in my knees.</p><h1>Rød</h1>
<p>I am glad the topic has changed to my benefit. There is no way I am telling Tom that it was inevitable for me to get a bit bigger with all of the extensive military training I had undergone in the last eight years. Dodged a bullet there…</p>
<p>“Hey Tord…” Tom’s faced is still a nice shade of pink, but he slowly picks up his head from his knees and looks at me.</p>
<p>“What?” I lean in closer due to his lack of volume.</p>
<p>“Do you still have the thing, I gave you?” He looks at me shyly.</p>
<p>Thing? He is going to have to be a bit more specific than that….</p>
<p>“Ah yes, that thing, of course I do!” I say sarcastically.</p>
<p>“Do you know what I’m talking about then?” He mutters.</p>
<p>“Of course not. Not with that little of information.” I deadpan and roll my eyes. “What thing?”</p>
<p>Tom nestles his chin into his knees.</p>
<p>“T-the…. bracelet.” He fixates his stare on the stream by our feet and starts to fidget.</p>
<p>Ah, that thing…</p>
<p>“Who knows!” I throw my arms behind my head while laying back into the grass and shut my eyes.</p>
<p>“You don’t?” I feel Tom turn back to look at me all flustered-like.</p>
<p>“I never said that.”</p>
<p>“Then you do.”</p>
<p>“I never said that either.”</p>
<p>“Tord, just answer the question.” His voice grows a bit more stern.</p>
<p>“You gave me that so long ago, what makes you think I have it?” I raise the question, not expecting a response.</p>
<p>“I don’t know….” He sighs and I peak out from my eyelids to see Tom nervously sink his face into his knees again.</p>
<p>How cute~</p><h1>Blå</h1>
<p>“I figured he didn’t have it….” I mumble to myself, stuffing my face into my knees in embarrassment.</p>
<p>After a while of us chatting by the stream, I suggest we FINALLY go and get the bacon from the store and we both pick ourselves up from the grass pile and make our way over in the direction of the grocery store.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>We arrive back at the house almost three hours since we left and drop off the bacon as well as some other groceries we decided to get while we were out. The entire grocery run took twenty-to-thirty minutes total, but with our little “detour” at the park it took us way longer to get back. I guess we were talking a tad longer than we had thought…...</p>
<p>Upon entering the living room, I was expecting it to still be trashed but to my surprise, it wasn’t. They entire place had been completely turned back to normal. My jaw drops and Tord’s eyes widen in disbelief at the sight as well.</p>
<p>“How did everything….” I start before Edd pops out from the hallway next to the living room.</p>
<p>“Oh, I called some people to clean everything up since Matt and I got tired.” Edd approaches us casually with his hands in the pockets of his signature green hoodie.</p>
<p>“Who the hell did you call?” I give Edd a bewildered look.</p>
<p>“Oh, just some guys I know from the nearby construction warehouse.” Edd pops a cheery smile at the both of us.</p>
<p>“Sounds sketchy….” I give him a skeptic look.</p>
<p>“Well believe it or not, I don’t care.” Edd shrugs.</p>
<p>Tord and I give each other another skeptic look before switching topics.</p>
<p>“You guys really did tear this place apart. How often did you guys fight like this before Matt and I moved in?” I ask making Edd and Tord both flinch.</p>
<p>“Often. Very often.” Tord says with a hint of shame in his voice. “The first time we both ended up in the hospital…” Edd and Tord both grab the back of their necks awkwardly.</p>
<p>Tord loves fights, so if he’s ashamed it’s most likely because of the motive behind these fights with Edd. I mean, I would be ashamed too if I had a massive blood brawl with my roommate over a piece of bloody fucking bacon. It’s always over the last piece too….</p>
<p>“Well, I’m glad you two got the bacon though, but what took so long?” Edd crosses his arms at us like an angry parent.</p>
<p>“We went to the park.” Tord replies plainly.</p>
<p>“Why? I mean it is a nice day, but why go there all of a sudden?” Edd tilts his head at us with a suspicious tone.</p>
<p>“Well, that is a secret for only Tom and I to know.” Tord says with a wink before handing me some of the bags of groceries and trailing off into the hallway towards his room.</p>
<p>“Uhm, is there something I need to know Tom?” Edd ask in the same accusing parent tone.</p>
<p>“Uhhh, not really?” I tell him still unsure of why Tord left so suspiciously making us both look bad.</p>
<p>“Okay…” Edd gives me a skeptic look and walks off to his room as well.</p>
<p>“What the hell is wrong with everybody today?” I sigh to myself and start dragging my feet back over to the kitchen to drop off the bags of groceries.</p>
<p>“I need some booze…” I sigh to myself and make my way to the fridge.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let's see if these two can start to live "normal-ishly" together in the next chapter....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heheh.....see what I did there? ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Clouds Gather</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tord is maybe getting a little TOO close to Tom, and Tom doesn't know how to react. Tom also takes some time to remember his youth...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, I have nothing to say so..... here's the key again :&gt;</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>Two weeks had gone by and Tord and I hadn’t argued much, well, aside from some bickering here and there. Otherwise, lately it’s been actually quite the opposite between us, Tord has been more…...flirtatious? I don’t really know if I’m going to be honest. He keeps winking at me and giving me weird looks when we’re doing the simplest things like watching TV or eating dinner. It’s odd, but not out of the ordinary for Tord. He’s most likely just picking on me per-usual, but it's pretty ballsey of him to act like this considering the grudge I’m still holding against him. He should be lucky we’re even talking to each other. He’s getting way too comfortable and acting as if everything is fine between us, typical Tord.</p>
<p>I’m laid out upwards on the couch, exhausted from all of the animations I’ve been working on lately. I’ve even been helping Edd out a bit with his web-series. I’ve just been doing some background art and audio clips for him, but it’s still pretty draining. I’m completely pooped, I’m not even watching whatever show is playing on the TV. My head is lying on top of the couch cushion and I’m just staring at the ceiling listening to the sounds from the TV like white noise. I lay there for a while until I hear footsteps approach from behind the couch.</p>
<p>“What are you watching?” A set of arms rests from behind me and lay on the top of the couch cushion beside the one my head is on. From the very strong Norwegian accent, I can tell it’s Tord.</p>
<p>“Don’t know.” I say not moving from my position in the slightest.</p>
<p>“Ah.” Tord moves from behind the couch and wraps around the front to lazily plop down right next to me. “Tired?” Tord asks as he leans back with his head on the cushion next to mine in the same position as me.</p>
<p>“Fucking exhausted.” I say, still not moving even after Tord’s position change. He is a bit too close than I would like him to be normally but I’m just too drained to really try and move away.</p>
<p>“Ah, likewise.” He says with a long drawn-out sigh afterwards.</p>
<p>The both of us just lie there for a while mindlessly listening to the TV audio before I decide to break the silence.</p>
<p>“What have you been working on?” I ask as my eyes follow some random bug that just crawled into my field of vison on the ceiling.</p>
<p>“Some projects and tests. Stuff you wouldn’t be interested in, nor understand.” Tord says plainly making the jab hit a bit harder than it should have.</p>
<p>“Hey, I’m not THAT stupid.” I retort.</p>
<p>“Oh, have you studied up on molecular parasitic construct while I was gone?” Tord’s voice holds a condescending tone.</p>
<p>“Molecular…uh…para—what now?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, as I said, stuff you wouldn’t understand.” Tord sighs and shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, “stuff your puny little brain couldn’t comprehend” kind of bullshit, whatever.” I mimic with an exaggerated Norwegian accent.</p>
<p>“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Tord says with a smirk so obvious I don’t even have to turn my head to see it.</p>
<p>“Yeah, whatever ya stupid commie.”</p>
<p>“Okay, Jehovah.”</p>
<p>The both of us sigh and just sit there for a minute, still staring up at the ceiling in a much more comfortable silence.</p>
<p>“Is Edd still locked up in his room?” I ask, breaking the silence once again.</p>
<p>“Think so.” Tord lazily replies. </p>
<p>“He has a deadline for one of his “Eddisodes” coming up, so he’s been a bit stressed.” I add in.</p>
<p>“I am aware. He asked me to help him out with it this morning.” He sighs.</p>
<p>“He did?” I finally pick up my head from my sluggish trance to look at Tord.</p>
<p>“Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?” Tord picks up his head as well to look back me.</p>
<p>Tord? Help Edd? With his web-series? Matt and I would help out Edd once and a while, but the both of us have some artistry background. Tord though? There is just something really odd about that.</p>
<p>“Um, I just didn’t know he would ask YOU for help on his series.” I say being blatantly honest.</p>
<p>“You do know I use to help him out a lot with the series when he started the series in high school, right?” Tord raises an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>“I mean, yeah you helped him out with some of the jokes and stuff, but that was years ago. I just didn’t think he would ask you at this point in time.” </p>
<p>I know Edd would ask Tord to help him out in the beginning stages of his comics. Tord would help him write the script and bounce ideas off with Edd, but I would never expect them to pick that up again after so many years. Especially since Tord has showed a disinterest in the series since then. Why did he start helping him all of a sudden?</p>
<p>“Well, when I was working in my lab a couple years back before I moved out, Edd had taken a gloss-through one of my blueprints and took a liking to my handywork with the sketches.” Tord throws his hands behind his head and sinks back into the couch. “He would ask me constantly to do some line-work for his comics, but I would always reject.”</p>
<p>“Why?” I tilt my head at him curiously.</p>
<p>“Pfft! I do not have time to help Edd with those “kid” comics of his.” Tord snorts. “I have way more important ways of spending my time then to spend them “doodling”.” Tord says with a small chuckle.</p>
<p>“Okay sure, then why were you helping him today?” I say this a Tord’s smile dramatically drops to a more drained expression.</p>
<p>“He insisted I help out because it had been so long, so I caved in.” Tord admits.</p>
<p>“Wow! Edd got the marvelous Tord to cave in and engage in some grade-A “doodling”!” I tease with a small chuckle.</p>
<p>“Shut up.” Tord’s face drops further. “Why are you asking about Edd if you already know about his deadline?” Tord goes on trying to change the subject.</p>
<p>“I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t overworking himself, but I guess I don’t need to worry because he has his good friend Tord looking after him!” I say patting Tord on the shoulder provokingly.</p>
<p>“Yes, he does.” Tord pauses slightly, giving me a smirk before he starts again. “You know, I can take care of you as well if you would like.” Tord leans in close to my face and rest his hand on my thigh.</p>
<p>“N-no need.” I want to keep my voice more stable, but I fail almost every time he pulls this shit.</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Tord moves his face closer. “I can give you even more attention than Edd…” He then runs his hand further up my inner thigh. Further up and further up, closer to my—OKAY!</p>
<p>I launch out from the couch and position myself at the other end of the room.</p>
<p>“Wow! Would you look at the time! I should get back to work and stop procrastinating, aye?” </p>
<p>Did I just say “aye”?  What the hell is wrong with me?</p>
<p>“Yes, you should~” Tord says giving me a wink. God, why is he so <strike>cutely</strike> annoying? </p>
<p>“Alrighty, cheers mate! See you at dinner!” I say and quickly bolt out of the living room towards my bedroom leaving Tord on the living room couch by himself.</p>
<p>“Cheers mate”??? Why can’t I ever just say cool stuff in these situations? Ugh….</p>
<p>I slam my door and run right into my bed to shove my face into my pillow.</p>
<p>He’s been like this a lot lately. However, I’m not sure if I can call this overly “flirtatious”, but just flat-out harassment at this point.</p>
<p>“Ugh…I may need to rub one out….” I sigh and turn over to look down at the tent rising in my pants.</p>
<p>He knows what he’s doing too…that asshole.</p>
<p>Tord has always been a soft spot for me. I always let him get so close and do whatever he wants with me while I just let it happen. For some reason my head just swirls around forever whenever he pulls this shit. It’s frustrating, but I never know what to do so I just go with it. He has always had that effect on me, and I never know how to manage it. This sucks.</p>
<p>It was about a year after I had met Tord that I realized my feelings for him….</p><hr/>
<p>“Tom, look!” Tord shoves a magazine excitedly into my face.</p>
<p>“What is it?” I peak in to take a look before I lean back quickly, grossly appalled by what Tord was holding. “Holy snakes on a runaway train! Tord, what the hell is that?” I yell covering my eyes from the VERY explicit magazine.</p>
<p>“This is a new one that just came out! I had to get my hands on it!” He pauses and looks at me confused. “Why do you look so upset?” Tord innocently tilts his head at me as if what he wasn’t holding wasn’t a VERY graphic hentai magazine.</p>
<p>“I’m not upset, I’m grossed out! Tord, why do you have that? Why do you have that in school?!” I point at him accusingly.</p>
<p>“I wanted to show you something I like, what is wrong with that?” Tord continues to display an innocent face that would normally work on me if it weren’t for the naked anime girl getting rammed staring at me from the cover of the magazine, reminding me of Tord’s obvious lack of purity.</p>
<p>“There is defiantly something wrong!” I shriek. “Especially when the thing you like is indulging in an abnormal amount of hentai! We’re only thirteen Tord! We can get in really big trouble for having that stuff around in school!” I say and then crouch down in my chair after realizing how loud I was being.</p>
<p>“Geez, you never appreciate such good art.” Tord pouts.</p>
<p>“Art? ART? I’m glad I’ll never understand whatever “art” arises from two chicks making out while being groped by a big purple tentacle monster!” I say slightly raising my voice again but then lowering it upon realization.</p>
<p>“It is not all like that….” Tord pouts again.</p>
<p>“Tord, do not pretend like it’s normal to be reading as much of that stuff as you do.” I cross my arms and give him a judgmental look.</p>
<p>I really hope this addiction doesn’t get any worse. He reads that stuff ALL of the time. I have failed in the past year we’ve known each other to ever see him pick up an actual book that didn’t pertain to hentai or nuclear bombing.</p>
<p>“What is so weird about seeing girls naked in a magazine? We’re guys after all.” Tord starts to flip through the magazine casually, not concealing it in the slightest.</p>
<p>“I don’t think there is particularly anything wrong about seeing naked girls in a magazine, I think there is a problem with how often you do it. As well as those said girls being horrifically and unnaturally proportion anime girls….” I reply bluntly, earning a grunt from Tord.</p>
<p>I say this but I’ve never looked at that stuff…. like ever. I’m sure that other guys our age look at that stuff all of the time, but it has never really interested me.</p>
<p>“Whatever.” Tord pouts continuing to flip through his magazine and I go back to playing Genshin Impact on my phone as I was doing before Tord decided to shove that monstrosity of a magazine into my face.</p>
<p>A couple minutes of comfortable silence pass by and Tord decides to pick up the conversation again and drive it into a direction I had rather it not have gone.</p>
<p> “You ever think about doing this stuff with anyone?” Tord looks up at me from the magazine making my face flush pink from the sudden delivery of the rather invasive question.</p>
<p>“U-uh, what do you mean?” I say this having no intention of carrying on this conversation any further than it has already gone.</p>
<p>“Like sex.” Tord says blanky as if he were asking about the weather.</p>
<p>“Why do you ask?” I start to nervously laugh in a bad attempt in trying to maintain whatever defense I may have in this conversation.</p>
<p>“Well, you said that it is normal for most guys to like this stuff, so I was curious if you meant yourself as well.” Tord continues to stare at me blankly.</p>
<p>“Oh, haha, right, I did say that.” I advert my gaze from Tord and start looking at the ceiling.</p>
<p>“So?” Tord asks and I whip my head back down towards him.</p>
<p>“So what?”</p>
<p>“Do you?”</p>
<p>“Do I what?”</p>
<p>“Sex.”</p>
<p>“What about it?”</p>
<p>The bell rings and saves my anxious ass from furthering what was potentially the most incriminating conversation of my LIFE.</p>
<p>Tord sighs in defeat and gets up from the borrowed seat to the desk next to mine. He waves me off before heading back to his classroom.</p>
<p>Wooo! Crisis avoided, I guess? </p>
<p>I don’t really know how I would have answered that question. I don’t think I think about sex as much as my other classmates do, but I don’t think that makes me weird, does it? Well, I basically said it does earlier…</p>
<p>So what? I don’t have naked girls clouding my brain twenty-four/seven, I think it’s a rather healthy way of living, maybe. I don’t really know if I’m being totally honest. I’ve never had a crush on any girl before either. Matt has dated a couple of girls in our grade before, but those relationships (if that’s what you want to call them) usually last a week maximum. I haven’t seen Edd fancy anyone in our grade specifically, but he does like to draw girls making out from time to time. As for Tord, he has his hentai, and he seems pretty content with that.</p>
<p>I guess I am pretty weird….</p>
<p>My teacher for my next class comes waltzing into the classroom and starts some long boring lecture, but I am too lost in my thoughts to pay it any attention (not like I was going to regardless).</p>
<p>Sex. Sex? How often SHOULD one think about this? I nag Tord for thinking about it so much, but I don’t know what the appropriate amount of time one should spend thinking about it. Maybe I should try thinking about it, just causally though! Like any other guy my age. </p>
<p>Okay, I guess I should give it a go then.</p>
<p>I rest my head on my hand and scan the classroom, looking for any traditionally pretty looking girls who would be worth thinking about in that way. My eyes settle on this girl towards the front of the class. She has long dark brown hair and a nice bone structure to her face. Her smile rests softly on her face as she is quietly taking notes on the teacher’s boring lecture.</p>
<p>I guess she would do….</p>
<p>She is pretty, so I guess it can’t be too hard to think of doing something sexual with her.</p>
<p>I close my eyes and let my mind wander to any erotic thoughts that could arise with her in mind……annnnnnnnnnnd nothing. Nothing at all.</p>
<p>I try again for a couple more minutes, but it was no use. I can’t even imagine her topless, let alone doing anything sexual with her. There really isn’t anything “arousing” about her. Isn’t there supposed to be some flustered feeling you get in your chest when you’re thinking about a girl? It seems more like a chore to think about this girl in a sexual way then something to look forward to.</p>
<p>I just don’t get it.</p>
<p>The only person who has ever gotten me “flustered” is Tord. This happens often too. For some reason whenever Tord is hovering by me or is just sitting a tad too close to me at the lunch table, I feel my face heat up and I find it hard to find my words. This only happens with Tord though, and I doubt that it’s anything sensual though.</p>
<p><i>“Tord….”</i> I close my eyes and just try to let that thought settle. <i>“Tord…”</i></p>
<p>A hot air swells my brain, and everything goes black.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>
  <i>Everything is dark and there’s nothing but Tord just standing a couple feet across from me with a small smile on his face as he slowly approaches me and a slight blush surfaces to his face.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Would you rather think of me instead?” He says dripping with his thick accent sending a sharp stimulus through my body.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I’m sitting in a chair in an endless black room with Tord, alone. My voice is gone, and I am unable to deny the request as Tord strides closer to me, hovering over me in the chair.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Sit still, I will handle things down there~” Tord whispers into my ear as he palms the front of my jeans slowly with his hand.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>The feeling was incredible.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Tord continues to palm the front of my pants and grabs the back of my neck with his other hand and pulls me in for a long intimate kiss. His tongue locks with mine and he aggressively wrestles with it, wining the dominance in the kiss, as well as the entire contact-feast overall.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>As we kiss, his hand slowly reaches out from the outside of my pants and undoes the top button of my jeans. He reaches his hand into my jeans and trails his hand in just the right spots to firmly grasp the head of my—</i>
</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>“TOM!”</p>
<p>I almost fall right out of my seat as my teacher screams my name from across the room.</p>
<p>“I have been calling your name for the last couple of minutes now! Please read the last paragraph on page one hundred and thirty-four to the class.” She gives me a nasty glare and I scatter to flip through my textbook to find the designated page.</p>
<p>Of all times for a teacher to catch me dozing off in class it, why was now of all times? I don’t know if I’m upset the fantasy was interrupted or glad it didn’t get any further.</p>
<p>“Y-yes ma’am!”  My voice is shaking, and I feel my face churn to the brightest shade of red possible as I finally stop flipping pages mindlessly and land on the designated page of our textbook.</p>
<p>I read through the paragraph as best as I can, trying to keep my voice as normal as possible to evade any suspicion of any inappropriate thoughts that had just swelled my head a couple of seconds prior. Soon enough, I finish reading and the teacher waves at me to sit back down.</p>
<p>As soon as I sit down in my chair, I feel just how tight my pants are as an effect of the little “fantasy” I had about Tord.</p>
<p>Tord? Tord got me hard? Wait, these are questions for later, right now, I have to take care of this little…...problem.</p>
<p>“U-um, excuse me.” I stutter and raise my hand to the teacher who is desperately trying to obtain the attention of the other students in the class.</p>
<p>“What is it now, Tom?” She carries an irritated tone in her voice.</p>
<p>“May I please go to the bathroom?”</p>
<p>She lets out a heavy sigh and waves me off to go and do so.</p>
<p>I quickly pounce out of my seat and hurry down the hall to the nearest bathroom. I rush in and lock myself in a stall and just look down at my little friend poking out of my pants.</p>
<p>“Ugh…” I sit on the closed toilet and cover my face with my hands in shame as I cross my legs begging for the erection to subside.</p>
<p>Tord? Why Tord? Yeah, surly we have grown close over the last couple of months, but I would never have a fantasy like THAT with Edd or Matt. That idea alone repulses me. However, with Tord it’s different. I wouldn’t mind thinking about that stuff with him again (not in school obviously). Hell, I wouldn’t be opposed to doing that stuff in real life as well—</p>
<p>Wait, what?!</p>
<p>What am I saying?! Why would I ever want to do anything like that with Tord? Sure, he’s funny and has a cute laugh. Yeah, he can be pretty reckless with his inventions and experiments, but he always looks so happy when working on that stuff. He can also be pretty adorable when he tags behind me on our way to our classes, even though we don’t have any together this semester. Maybe I do like the way he always insists on sitting next to me at lunch despite Edd requesting for him to sit by himself to help him work his artwork. I may adore the way Tord always leans to my side whenever the four of us are out walking going from store to store buying food or getting video games. I also love the way he always insists to team up with me when we play 2v2 against Edd and Matt, and hugs me whenever we win. As well as—</p>
<p>Oh, this is bad…. this is REALLY bad.</p>
<p>Do I like Tord? Tord? Like romantically?</p>
<p>Have I always liked guys? Or is it just Tord that makes me feel this way? I have never had an interest in girls, but does that mean I like guys? </p>
<p>No, actually, me not liking girls has nothing to do with it.</p>
<p>I’m attracted to guys because I’m attracted to guys, that’s all. Tord may be the only guy I’m interested in right now, but the idea of dating guys isn’t something I am opposed to, if anything, I prefer it. </p>
<p>Yeah, that just about settles it…….</p>
<p>I’m gay, very gay, and saying it now is giving me such a huge relief. I have thought that I could be gay a couple times in my life, but I always thought it would be a more straightforward realization. </p>
<p>Nope, sexuality is actually a pretty complex thing, I guess. Either way, I’m just glad I figured it out.</p>
<p>I raise my head from my hands and lean back as I stare up at the ceiling. I take a deep breath and feel a surge of tension release from my body. My erection had subsided, and I am left just mindlessly staring up at the ceiling.</p>
<p>Cool, I’m gay. Well, it would seem that all my problems on the matter have been solved and I can carry on life just fine now. I have reached a self-realization that I never thought I could reach, and now I am at total peace. </p>
<p>Yeah, there is nothing in this world that can bring me down now! Most people struggle with their sexuality for years, but I figured it out at the age of thirteen, with ease! Wow, life is great! I feel so much better.</p>
<p>I get up from the toilet seat proudly from my fulfillment and start to unlock the stall door until reality hits me HARD in the back of the head.</p>
<p>Okay I’m gay, so I like guys. The big question is: Do I like Tord in that way?</p>
<p>No, no. Of course not. I may find him attractive, but I wouldn’t want to do anything romantic with him, right? Well? Right?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh no, I do. I really do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ugh!” I cry out and plop myself back onto the toilet and cover my face with my hands again.</p>
<p>There is no point in denying it. I like Tord, a lot. It has probably been this way for a while now too. There is no way for me to try and repress how I feel about him, it’s just not like me to be denial about things. I like him, but that being said, he is to never find out.</p>
<p>I am going to accept how I feel about Tord, but that doesn’t mean I have to do anything about it. We see each other every day, and if he knew it would just make things weird between us. I don’t think the other guys will care that I’m gay, but I do think it would make things weird between the four of us if they knew that I have little baby crush on Tord. Yeah, this will be my little secret, and eventually these feelings will go away without anyone knowing….</p><hr/>
<p>I roll over to the side of my bed and groan at my unwelcomed erection bringing me out from my remembrance of my first liking towards Tord.</p>
<p>When I think back to this time, it makes me realize how naïve I was.</p>
<p>All I will say is that it was not a little “baby” crush, and that once you accept your feelings for someone, they will just intensify. Unfortunately for me, at that time, I had no clue what was coming...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey! I wish I had a consistent schedule with uploading, I mean Fridays seem to be working out best for me, but I will try and post the next couple chapters within this week! :D</p>
<p>(If I can't, expect the next one next Friday....)</p>
<p>The next chapter will also be taking place primarily in the past. :&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Lame Lines</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom tends to say some lame things around Tord sometimes, especially when he was younger...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I should just get rid of beginning notes on these because I never have anything to say!</p>
<p>Anyways here's the key again:</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>It wasn’t until the four of us had just entered our first year of high school when it started to become hard to hide my feelings for Tord…</p><hr/>
<p>“Helloooo?” Are you even listening?” Tord’s face is just inches away from mine and my face fumes pink. </p>
<p>“Uh Tord, why are you so close?” There is obvious panic in my voice when I started to speak.</p>
<p>Tord tilts his head cutely at me in confusion.</p>
<p>“What is wrong with you? I was telling you about my new laser projector that I just made, and then you started zoning out.”</p>
<p>“O-oh did I? I’m sorry Tord, I was just thinking about… uhhh…...the new “Insane Zombie Pirates from Hell” movie that just came out.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah! Edd, we have to go and see that later!” Tord pulls his face away from mine and whips his head across the lunch table over to Edd who was just peacefully eating his lunch.</p>
<p>“Yeah, of course! We should go this weekend, but just keep in mind that the theater may be packed since it’s the premier.” Edd says beaming with excitement.</p>
<p>“We ought to get there early then, don’t we?” Matt chimes in excitedly. “Who wouldn’t want to see a movie about the uproar of pirates breaking loose from hell with a fiery vengeance?”</p>
<p>“Exactly. Edd replies, receiving a nod from the other two boys.</p>
<p>Nice cover. I always space out like that with Tord. I really have to stop doing that….</p>
<p>After lunch the four of us go our separate ways to ours classes and Tord trails behind me on my way to my next class. He has his head down and looks somewhat troubled as we make our way further down the hall.</p>
<p>“Tord?” I look back at him and his face is displaying an uncomfortable expression. As if he were doing something wrong.</p>
<p>Technically he is doing something wrong, his class is the other direction. He always comes with me to my classes as if he is dropping me off or something. He never ends up caring if he is late to his classes either, he doesn’t really care for school too much, but neither do I.</p>
<p>“Hm?” Tord picks up his head and looks at me with the same odd expression.</p>
<p>“You okay?” I stop in my tracks and stare down at him.</p>
<p>We were almost the same height when we first met. I was a centimeter taller than him, but that changed quick when we entered high school. I’m a couple inches taller than him now and it’s as if Tord didn’t grow much at all. I don’t think he is self-conscious about it, but in situations like these when we are standing face to face, the height difference is just a tad bit more apparent to the both of us.</p>
<p>“Yeah…” Tord looks back to the ground.</p>
<p>He was fine at lunch. It wasn’t until we started walking to our classes where he started going quiet. Did I say something wrong? Is he upset that I got distracted while he was talking about his laser projector thing? He just looks so troubled; I hope it wasn’t something I said.</p>
<p>“Did I say something weird?” I tilt my head at him inching for a response.</p>
<p>“No!” He quickly whips his head back up and startles me. “You said nothing wrong it’s just….” His expression hardens.</p>
<p>“It’s just what?” We are both still standing in the hallway, not having a single care for our classes starting in the next couple minutes.</p>
<p>“It’s just that….” Tord stops again and gives me a worried look.</p>
<p>“What? Tord, spit it out.” I urge him.</p>
<p>“Okay, well…” He takes and exhale and looks at me with a more serious expression. “Do you think it is weird? You know, for me to keep following you to class all of the time?”</p>
<p>What? That was what he was worried about? I thought he blew-up another bird or something. Even then, if he did blow up a bird, he would be way more excited about it. However, all he was worried about was following me around? I always thought it was odd, but I never cared. I liked having someone by my side all of the time. Eventually, I just got used to it, so I think it is weird for him to bring it up now. He is just now getting insecure about it? He can be so cute sometimes when he thinks about this stuff~</p>
<p>“Duh.” I give him a blank expression.</p>
<p>“Really?!” His face changes to a more panicked expression.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s really weird honestly.” I admit.</p>
<p>“I see…” Tord’s face completely drops and he shifts his gaze to the floor. “Well, we are in high school now, so I thought that maybe it was weird for high schoolers to do such things….”</p>
<p>“Well maybe, but who cares?” He looks back at me with a yearning expression. “If you want to do it, just do it.” I squint at him. “When have YOU of all people cared about what others think?”</p>
<p>“Well…I care what you think.” He mutters.</p>
<p>My heart crashes into the outers of my chest and I feel my face immediately flush to a bright pink. I whip my hand over my face and turn away from Tord to hide my expression.</p>
<p>“Tom?” Tord calls to me while I continue to have my mini-heart attack in response to his confession.</p>
<p>Confession? No, all he just said was that he cared what I thought. That was all. I care about what other people think about me all of the time. It was nothing special, just Tord being Tord, and saying the first thing on his mind. I just have to catch my breathing and relax. Act natural.</p>
<p>“I care about you too.”</p>
<p>Tord’s eyes widen and he just stares at me.</p>
<p>WHAT? What on earth did I just say?! Why did it come out like that?! I meant to say that I care about what he thinks too, but I just botched that entirely! Ah fuck, he is going to think this is weirder than it is!</p>
<p>Tord just stands there looking at me for a couple seconds as I try and strategize how to salvage this conversation to the best of my abili—</p>
<p>“….I care about you too…” Tord shifts his gaze down towards the ground.</p>
<p>Did he just—? No, no he said that in terms of our friendship. He cares about me as a friend, I can’t read into that too much or else I am going to run myself insane. He does not mean that in I the way I want it to.</p>
<p>
  <i>He cares about me as a friend…</i>
</p>
<p>A sharp pang runs through my heart, but I take an exhale and try and collect my thoughts to give an appropriate response to Tord.</p>
<p>“….um….” I cough to try and air out the awkward atmosphere. “Uhm, so, anyway, no I don’t think it’s weird for you to follow me around. If that is what you want to do, then do it. That is what you have always done.” I try and shrug casually at him.</p>
<p>“But!” He darts his eyes at me and takes a step closer. “…other people may think that you’re weird too.” His face changes back to the same panicked expression from earlier.</p>
<p>“So?” I say flatly. “I don’t give a shit about even a third of the people at this school. Actually, I only care about three people total in this school: Edd, Matt, and you.” I give him a reassuring smile and ruffle his hair. “Don’t change anything unless you want to.”</p>
<p>He looks at me for a couple seconds and gives me a small grin.</p>
<p>“If you say so….” His face grows calmer and I ruffle his hair again.</p>
<p>“We should get to class, the bell rung a couple of minutes ago.” I chuckle.</p>
<p>“They are going to make us get a late pass, so let’s just go and get that right now and not even bother going to our classes first.” Tord smirks.</p>
<p>“True.” I shrug. “Let’s go then.”</p>
<p>We turn to make our way down the hallway to the main office to get out late passes. Once we get to the office, we grab our passes and part ways to then stroll off to our classes. As I walk down the hallway by myself, I think for a couple minutes on Tord’s odd little question.</p>
<p>Why does he care if he follows me all of a sudden? It could be because we are in high school that he thinks it is a more childish thing to do, but he is the one who drops me off, I should feel like the child. He could think that it makes me uncomfortable, but I really don’t think so, he would have questioned it back in middle school then. Regardless, he looked really bothered by it at first. As long as he just sticks to doing what he likes, I don’t think he should worry too much about what others think. Well, if what he likes pertains to wreaking havoc on others like always, maybe he should reconsider his actions…</p>
<p>I chuckle to myself and continue my slow stride down the empty hallway.</p>
<p>I guess I should take my own advice.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>“Hmm, it does not look horrible with it like that…” Tord gets up close to my face and starts examining my hair.</p>
<p>“Really?” I blush slightly from the closeness of Tord to my face.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I like it better upwards.” He says plainly.</p>
<p>“Why?” I ask slightly offended to his dismissing of my new hairstyle.</p>
<p>“It was so sharp beforehand; you know how many people you could have stabbed with a cut like that?” He rubs his hands together maniacally.</p>
<p>I give Tord a deadpanned look.</p>
<p>“Yeah, no.”</p>
<p>“Fine, whatever.” Tord sighs and runs his fingers through the front of my hair, startling me and causing my face to flush to a brighter pink. “This style is fine.”</p>
<p>I changed my hair, but it’s not too drastic. My hair would just naturally stand up straight on its own for…. hereditary reasons…but I decided to changed things up. Just yesterday, I went to a stylist and they used a solution on my hair to adjust its natural shape. It is a permanent change, but I like it so it’s fine. My hair is a lot softer now, and it rest in front of my face which is nice because my forehead is less visible than it was before. My hair still pokes out in some places randomly, especially in the back, but I like it because it still reminds me of my genetic roots.</p>
<p>“You look more edgy now.” Matt arrives at the set of desks Tord and I were occupying, and he pulls up a seat.</p>
<p>“Really?” I don’t think that looking “edgy” is a bad thing personally, but if it is coming from Matt, then it’s probably an insult.</p>
<p>“You’re never going to get any ladies at this rate!” Matt throws both his arms up dramatically.</p>
<p>Knew it.</p>
<p>“I do not think Tom cares about that, Matt.” Tord gives Matt a skeptical look.</p>
<p>“Well, he should, no one will want to go out with him if he looks so gloomy all of the time.” Matt crosses his arms. “I mean, look at his face! He already looked so glum all of the time anyway, now with that hair he looks even more depressed!” Matt whines out dramatically and Tord and I just sigh.</p>
<p>It’s not like I want to attract any girls anyway…</p>
<p>I haven’t told anyone that I am gay yet. It just hasn’t come up in the past year-or-so that I’ve known and I’m in no rush to tell them. They wouldn’t care to find out that I am, so I’m just waiting for the right time just so it doesn’t come out of the blue.</p>
<p>As for my feelings for Tord, well, that is a problem that will figure itself out, right?</p>
<p>“That is just his face, he always looks like that.” Tord points towards me. </p>
<p>I think Tord is trying to defend me, but that was the most backhanded way of doing it.</p>
<p>“Maybe because SOME people around me, make me gloomy.” I deadpan and look at Matt directly.</p>
<p>“Well, regardless you look more like yourself this way.” Matt shrugs and pulls out his phone to fidget with the camera.</p>
<p>Despite Matt saying that I am a depressing person and that I look sad most of the time, I will take that statement as a complement just because of the way he worded it.</p>
<p>“Thanks…I guess?”</p>
<p>“No prob.” He keeps his eyes to his phone.</p>
<p>Tord picks up his Hentai magazine and the three of us sit around chatting at the desks for a while before Edd pops his head into the classroom.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Edd calls out from the doorway and starts walking towards us. “Why is everyone here without me?” Edd pouts.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, why aren’t you here with us?” I squint at him, knowing that Edd is late to school most likely for oversleeping.</p>
<p>“I was busy!” Edd throws his arms up in a fit.</p>
<p>“Yeah, busy reading comics.” I smirk at him.</p>
<p>“Hey, you stay up reading manga all of the time!” Edd points at me accusingly.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I make it to school on time!” I point back accusingly at him. “Hell, Matt doesn’t even sleep most nights and he can make it to school on time!”</p>
<p>“Matt is a different breed!” Edd retorts.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Matt protests and perks his head up from his phone. “An “attractive” breed!” He points at Edd and all three of us sigh.</p>
<p>“Well, either way it was rude for none of you guys to call me and wake me up!” Edd whines and throws his arms up once again.</p>
<p>“That’s not our fucking jobs.” I cross my arms and lean back in my chair.</p>
<p>“I don’t know if it’s the hair change, or the MASSIVE stick up your ass is as to why your being more of a jerk than usual.” Tord scoffs beside me at Edd’s comment and I glare at him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, good luck waking up next time, Edd.” I wave at him dismissively and lean further back in my chair.</p>
<p>“Not like you were going to help anyways….” Edd pulls out a random chair from an empty desk and sits with us and pouts. “Hey, Tord.” Edd calls out to Tord and Tord picks his head up from his magazine.</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>“What were you doing with those juniors behind the school yesterday?” Edd asks slouched over with his chin on the desk.</p>
<p>Tord’s face freezes.</p>
<p>“What are you talking about, Edd?” Tord gives Edd a bewildered look, but something still seems off.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you were talking to a group of upperclassmen behind the school yesterday. I saw you guys talking and I was going to talk to you, but I didn’t want to intrude, so I thought I would ask today.” Edd shrugs.</p>
<p>Tord pauses for a couple of seconds looking at Edd and then darts his eyes at me lighting quick before looking back at Edd.</p>
<p>What was that look for?</p>
<p>“I did not stay after school yesterday, Edd.” Tord tilts his head curiously at Edd.</p>
<p>“Huh?” Edd picks up his head. “That’s wasn’t you talking to a group of juniors behind the school yesterday?”</p>
<p>“Yesterday?” Tord asks.</p>
<p>“Yeah!” Edd shifts up again.</p>
<p>“Nope.” Tord says flatly.</p>
<p>“What?” Edd looks down at the desk for a couple seconds and then picks his head up to look at me. “Did you guys go home together yesterday?”</p>
<p>I had a hair appointment yesterday, so I told Tord that morning that he couldn’t come over. He seemed a little upset, but it’s not like we go home together EVERY day, well, maybe most days. Either way, I left school before him.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, of course we did.” Tord says in an exaggerated tone and smiles at Edd.</p>
<p>Um, what? No, we didn’t. Yesterday of all days, we most defiantly did not go home together. Why is he lying? Especially to Edd?</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Edd still presses Tord.</p>
<p>“Yes, of course, Tom had to get his hair done and he let me tag along with him.” Tord gestures towards me and smiles cheerily.</p>
<p>“Really?” Edd tilts his head at me and I just shrug.</p>
<p>Um, yeah, no, none of this is true. I went to the salon by myself. We just talked about my hair getting done and neither Tord nor Matt knew about it. Of course, Edd wasn’t here to hear that though.</p>
<p>I look over to Matt who isn’t even listening to our conversation and is just continuing to take pictures of himself on his phone.</p>
<p>“Tom, you took Tord with you?” Edd looks at me still confused.</p>
<p>“Sure?” I shrug and Edd gives me a skeptical look but drops the topic.</p>
<p>“Well, never mind then.” Edd slouches over again, putting his chin back onto the desk.</p>
<p>Why did Tord lie? Not only that, why did I go with it?! It felt weird to just go against what Tord said at that moment, so I guess I just played it along that way. I just don’t know why Tord felt the need to lie to Edd on his whereabouts after school.</p>
<p>“Haha, Edd sometimes you think up the craziest things! You should start putting those ideas on paper of something.” Tord chuckles to himself.</p>
<p>“Maybe…” Edd pouts and Tord goes back to reading his magazine.</p>
<p>Despite the odd conversation that just occurred, the four of us go back to casually chatting until the bell rings, signifying for us to get to our classes.</p>
<p>Matt and I are already where we are supposed to be, so Edd and Tord rise from the desks and proceed to head off to their designated classes.</p>
<p>“Bye lads! See you at lunch!” Edd waves off at Matt and I, and Tord just walks right out from the classroom without a word, making Edd have to lightly jog after him.</p>
<p>I wave them off and look at Matt who finally put his phone down.</p>
<p>“Hey, Matt why did Tord lie like that?” I ask him and he gives me a blank expression.</p>
<p>“Lie about what?”</p>
<p>“Youuuuuuuuu, weren’t listening, were you?” My expression drops.</p>
<p>“Listening to what?” He tilts his head at me.</p>
<p>“Never mind.” I angle my desk towards the front of the room (like how it is supposed to be) next to Matt, and slouch over in my chair with my head in my arms.</p>
<p>My mind swells with a bunch of questions on Tord’s response to Edd’s question earlier, but there is no point in trying to figure Tord out, it’s easiest just to ask him.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>“Can I come over?” Tord darts his head at me as we make our way down the hallway from our last class of the day to exit the school.</p>
<p>“Uhhh yeah sure.” I shrug.</p>
<p>“Cool, I wanted to finish the final couple cut-scenes in “Wind Waker”.” Tord smiles at me, making my face get hot.</p>
<p>Damn, I’m obsessed with him. He’s so cute. I can’t let him walk all over me though, he was acting funny earlier, so I have to use this as an opportunity to press him on this stuff.</p>
<p>“You know, I can just lend you my Wii and the game, why do you have to come over?” I say casually and Tord stops in his tracks and I turn back towards him.</p>
<p>“What?” He stands there speechless in what I said.</p>
<p>“What? It’s a genuine question. You come over all of the time, if you just want to play the game, I can lend it to you. Hell, you play it more than me, you can just have it.” I say with another shrug and Tord furrows his eyebrows into a hurt expression.</p>
<p>“You…you do have a problem with me hanging by you all of the time.” Tord slowly backs away from me.</p>
<p>“No. I was just saying that you come over every day—”</p>
<p>“And it bothers you?”</p>
<p>“No, I was just—”</p>
<p>“I will stop, I do not want to make you uncomfortable.” Tord’s face turns to a more panicked expression and he grabs his other arm nervously.</p>
<p>What the hell?! Why is he acting like this? I don’t care if we go home together (I actually like it). He's freaking out for no reason; I was just curious as to why he comes over so often. I was trying to lead the conversation into questioning his lying from earlier this morning, but now he is freaking out, out of nowhere.</p>
<p>“Tord!” I raise my voice making him jump up a bit and I grab his arm. “I don’t care! I was just curious! You are always welcome to come over whenever you want. I just didn’t want to make you feel like if you wanted to play games you didn’t have to stick with me the whole time, you can take them as you please. You know I don’t care.” I take a long sigh and he just stares at me.</p>
<p>“……you do not care?” His face still looks panicked.</p>
<p>“For fucks sake Tord! If I cared I would tell you!” I raise my voice again.</p>
<p>“I do not know! Maybe you were just being nice or something!” Tord yells back.</p>
<p>“No, I love spending time with you—!”</p>
<p>Tord’s eyes widen and I feel my face fume to a bright pink.</p>
<p>Can I make me liking him be ANY more obvious?? What the hell is wrong with me? I just admitted to “loving” his presence. This is of course true, but he does NOT need to know that! Oh God, this just made things so freaking awkward.</p>
<p>“…..” Tord just looks down to his feet and I stand there, silent, just holding onto his arm.</p>
<p>It’s painfully quiet. We are the only ones in the hallway, and everyone has just about left the school already, so it’s making this situation unbearable to sit through.</p>
<p>“Uh Tord, I mean...like it’s fun…. you know…. having you around all of the time.” I studder to throw together.</p>
<p>Did I save it? Am I in the clear, or is he catching on? I’m trying so hard to hide my feelings, but I always fuck up and say some sentimental shit to make things weird between us. Most of the time I can brush it off, but this situation is hard to work with, due to there not being anyone else around us and having no classes left to use as an excuse to leave this conversation open-ended. Nope, it’s just Tord and I, in the hallway, alone.</p>
<p>Tord raises his head and looks at me with a smile so warm my heart jumps up to my throat.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know what you mean, me too.”</p>
<p>Wait, him too? I don’t think he means it like how I meant it.</p>
<p>“You too, what?” I say nervously with an ulterior motive in hearing his answer.</p>
<p>“…. I like spending time with you too.” Tord says shyly. “You are my closest friend.”</p>
<p>My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach.</p>
<p>
  <i>“Friend?”</i>
</p>
<p>Duh, of course that is what he would say. I should be relieved that he sees us this way. That means he doesn’t know how I feel about him. This means that nothing is weird between us. He sees me as his closest friend, I should be happy, I am happy. He means so much to me, I’m glad that he values our relationship as well.</p>
<p>
  <strike>It’s just not in the same way.</strike>
</p>
<p> My face drops but I try and hold a small smile.</p>
<p>“Haha yeah…” I swallow hard. “So, don’t worry about coming over or anything. Okay?” I tilt my head towards him.</p>
<p>“Yeah…” He says with a ghostly smile.</p>
<p>I let go of Tord’s arm and we start making our way out from the school in silence until Tord pulls at my sleeve, causing me to look back at him.</p>
<p>“What’s up?”  I turn towards him and tilt my head.</p>
<p>“It’s nothing.” He lets go of my sleeve, but I press him to continue.</p>
<p>“Just say it.” I frown at him and he caves.</p>
<p>“Well, why do you always say such mushy stuff all of the time?” Tord looks directly at me and my face gets hot.</p>
<p>“Uh, I don’t know? It just comes out like that.” I say nervously and Tord just stares at me as we start walking again.</p>
<p>“English is not my native tongue, and yet, I feel like I can get what I need to say out just fine.” He scoffs. “However, for you, it’s seems to be a constant struggle to get your words out the way you want them to.”</p>
<p>“My brain just moves too quick sometimes!” I frown and throw my arms up in frustration.</p>
<p>“Mm, how odd.” Tord’s face gets all serious and he holds his hand up to his chin.</p>
<p>“What?” I say slightly concerned by the seriousness in his tone.</p>
<p>“It is just that, I do not recall you ever having that “thing” to begin with.” Tord furrows his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“What thing?” I tilt my head at him.</p>
<p>“A brain.”</p>
<p>“You’re annoying.” I say deadpanned and Tord just chuckles behind me as I quicken my pace.</p>
<p>We continue walking and eventually reach my house. By the time we get there, we had started playing video games and I had completely forgotten about asking Tord why he lied to Edd that morning. It is technically none of my business, but it seemed like something I should ask about.</p>
<p>Well, if it’s that big of an issue, I guess I’ll find out eventually...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am fully aware that the British school system is differently designed compared to the American systems, but for the sake of me writing this story, please bear with me on this. I may go back and change them, but as of now I'm just keeping it how it is. They only mention it in the flashbacks, so I'm hoping it's not too annoying to read. :x</p>
<p>But hey! I uploaded earlier, and I may still upload tomorrow AND Friday! (Maybebutnopromisestho)</p>
<p>Also I based the design of Tom's new hair off of Zoyberg's design of Tom.</p>
<p>Check her out (she's a legend):</p>
<p>Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-MzeqaLG0GW3G8gO9dP0YA</p>
<p>Tumblr: https://mlle-zoyberg.tumblr.com/post/182986686529</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Pot Head</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The two boys have a chat by the dinner pot...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a shorter chapter, but it was actually one of my favorites to type. :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>After two months of Tord living here again and me having to put up with his little antics, one day I just decided to confront him about it.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>The two of us were working on making dinner, since it was our turn to make it that week. Tord had slowly been shifting closer towards me as we were cooking, and I just pretended not to notice. That is, until he started teasing me some more by purposefully making us bump into each other while cooking.</p>
<p>“Tord stop.” I say and Tord immediately stops his hand from reaching to playfully caress my face. His eyes widen at the change of tone in my voice.</p>
<p>“What is up?” Tord’s voice shifts to a more nervous tone. Most likely realizing that he had gone too far with his flirtatious gestures.</p>
<p>“Why are you doing this?” I say with a plain face as I halt from stirring the dinner pot.</p>
<p>“Doing what?” Tord retracks his hand and walks off to start collecting plates and silverware from the cupboards.</p>
<p>“Don’t play dumb, why do you keep touching me?” Leaving the spoon in the pot, I turn my back towards the stove, lean against the counter, and cross my arms at him.</p>
<p>“I did no such thing!” He says, grabbing plates from the upper cabinets.</p>
<p>“You were about to. You’ve been doing it a lot lately too.” A slight irritation arises in my voice.</p>
<p>“Do you dislike it?” Tord gives me a sheepish smile and I keep my face stern.</p>
<p>“Yes. Stop it.” The irritation in my voice was now very blatant, but I could tell Tord was still going to keep at it.</p>
<p>Tord lays the plates on the dining table and gives me a nervous look again.</p>
<p>“Hey! I was only kidding! Tom, you can be too serious sometimes! If you want me to stop, then I will stop, okay?” Tord gestures his hands out defensively.</p>
<p>“What’s so funny about it?” I glare at him and watch as he starts to get more nervous and scramble for an excuse.</p>
<p>“Well…uh…it just… is?” He says with no hint of confidence in his answer.</p>
<p>“It’s not. You know what you’re doing, and I don’t want to entertain any more of it, so stop.”</p>
<p>Tord’s face surprisingly drops to a more serious expression, and he just stares at me for a couple seconds.</p>
<p>“You do not like it when I touch you?” He says with his lids low. </p>
<p>Is he angry? No, I’m the one who is supposed to be angry.</p>
<p>“No, so stop.” I say while still trying to maintain the control in the conversation.</p>
<p>“Why is it that now you feel that way? I have been doing this for years, yet, now you have a problem?” Tord gives me a cold look and I continue to hold my ground.</p>
<p>“I got tired of it, okay?” I shrug, not knowing what else to really say.</p>
<p>“Ah, I see. You got tired of it even after not seeing each other for eight years. Yes, that makes perfect sense.” Tord glares at me and turns around to continue searching through the cabinets.</p>
<p>I know what he is trying to do, but I don’t want to start anything when the other guys will be down for dinner in the next couple of minutes. I don’t want to create an awkward atmosphere in the house, especially right before dinner.</p>
<p>“Tord, you know what I mean.” I sigh and try and deescalate things, but Tord just turns back to me, looking angrier than before.</p>
<p>“No, I do not. I have been treating you like this for years and even for the past couple of weeks as well, but you say something now? Now of all times? I do not understand.” Tord throws his hands into the pockets of his grey joggers and holds the cold stare onto his face.</p>
<p>“Yeah well, I’m stopping it right now, and you don’t have to understand why.” I awkwardly shrug at him.</p>
<p>“Yes, I do.” He retorts quickly.</p>
<p>“Then what, Tord? What is so hard to understand about not wanting to be someone’s “plaything”?” I start to raise my voice slightly.</p>
<p>“If you have always had a problem with the way I treat you, why have not said anything about until now? That is what I do not understand.” He snaps back and I center my attention to the floor.</p>
<p>
  <i>He’s right.</i>
</p>
<p>“Because I….” I stop feeling slightly defeated. I do this too him often, where I just expect him to know how I feel without saying anything.</p>
<p>He’s not mad because I told him to stop, he’s mad because I didn’t tell him sooner.</p>
<p>Oddly enough, that’s what’s nice about Tord; he’ll do or say mean things, but he always tries to make sure I’m not actually hurt by them and then gets frustrated when I don’t tell him if it does.</p>
<p>I learned this the hard way…</p>
<p>“So, you will say nothing? Okay, whatever.” Tord continues to shift through the kitchen cabinets as I just turn back around towards the stove to finish up cooking dinner.</p>
<p>Great. I created the awkward atmosphere that I tried so hard to prevent. Can I fix anything? Is he just going to stay mad? He is the one who should take a hint once and a while, but I get that if I don’t reject his actions, he won’t stop. It’s not like I’ve wanted him to stop them completely either, he just goes too far sometimes.</p>
<p>We just awkwardly stand away from each other in silence and I feel the guilt start to accumulate in my head. I can’t stand the tension, so I should try and apologize.</p>
<p>“Tord—”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.” He starts with his back to me, crouching down searching through one of the lower cabinets. He then sighs and continues. “I push things too far sometimes; I never want to make you uncomfortable.”</p>
<p>No, wait. Why is he apologizing? It’s my fault for sure. Not only that, but Tord? Apologizing? Willingly? Man, now I feel even worse.</p>
<p>“Tord I….” My words get lost in my throat and I just stare at the back of his head as he’s crouched down still fishing for utensils from the cabinets.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, I know I have been acting too comfortable since I moved back. I need to think more about how you feel.” Tord stands up abruptly and turns to face me with his hands full of silverware, startling me a bit. “Despite what you may think, I really do care about you….” He flashes me a warm smile and starts to set the table up for dinner.</p>
<p>I just nod slightly and turn back around to the stove to stir the dinner pot mindlessly.</p>
<p>“I’ll go let the others know about dinner.” Tord says and walks out of the kitchen, towards the hallway where all of the bedrooms lie.</p>
<p>I bite the inside of my lip and just continue to stare at the pot just thinking about all of the millions of things I should’ve said to Tord when he was here.</p>
<p>Funny enough, I know he cares about me, it just makes things easier if I tell myself he doesn’t.</p>
<p>Makes it easier to hate him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Haha, the title is very misleading. </p>
<p>I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far, things start to get a bit messy after this chapter tho...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Cigarette Scented Sheets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Since their fight at dinner a couple nights ago, Tord gives Tom some space and Tom doesn't know how to feel about it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Valentines Day, lovelies. Here is a gift, a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it!</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>Ever since dinner that night, Tord has distanced himself from me and I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Of course I’m still mad at him, but I feel like I’m making a lot of the same mistakes I use to make before he left, and that’s not fair to him. </p>
<p>At the same time, I feel like I shouldn’t have to be fair to him since he left anyway.</p>
<p>On the other hand though, he did apologize, and I know he feels bad about it, he must have had his own reasons for leaving…</p>
<p>However, he’s never been THIS secretive with me, so why now?</p>
<p>For some reason Tord’s always been a rather distant person. This is especially true around the time when Matt and I first moved in with Edd and him.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“You went darker?” I raise an eyebrow at Tord who was clearly unbothered by the slight irritation in my voice.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” He says plainly in response.</p>
<p>His cigarette hangs loosely from his mouth as he just stares plainly at his phone. It felt like I would never get a serious answer as to why he dyed his hair a darker brown, so I gave up before even trying.</p>
<p>He started dressing different too. He wears a lot more black lately, and is always wearing this new black coat he just got a bit ago. It’s his choice on how he wants to dress, so I don’t make note of it to him, but I still think it is a bit weird of him to start changing his whole wardrobe and hair color all of a sudden.</p>
<p>Tord is just lazing around on my bed doing nothing while I’m propped up against my headrest with my notebook working on a couple random sketches for and animation project I’ve been working on lately. We do this often where we don’t really talk to each other much, but just relax in a comfortable silence while enjoying each other’s company.</p>
<p>A couple more minutes of comfortable silence goes by and Tord gets a phone call.</p>
<p>“Ugh…” He groans and leaps off from my bed. “I…. have to take this.” He says and points to my door indicating that he’s stepping outside of my room to take the call.</p>
<p>“Okay?” I say, shooing him off while I try to finish up some line-work on the sketch I was working on. </p>
<p>He said that like he was asking for permission to leave. It’s not like this was a planned hangout anyway. He just kind of strolled into my room randomly just to plopped down right next to me on the bed and started scrolling through his phone without saying a word.</p>
<p>He walks out of my room and answer the call from outside the door.</p>
<p>I couldn’t hear much, but it sounded like he was arguing with someone. It wasn’t loud or anything, but he sounded really annoyed to whoever he was speaking to. This tends to happen with most of the people Tord speaks to, but something about his tone right now really stuck out to me.</p>
<p>There are a lot of things Tord does and a lot of people Tord sees that I have no clue about. It doesn’t seem like he is concealing this too much either, but it just seems like something you shouldn’t pry him about. He’s been working a lot recently on some new projects, and a lot of big companies and businesses are reaching out to him, asking him to work for them but he turns them all down. He claims that his inventions are “his own masterpieces” and that no one can try and swindle him into working under “illy run” companies that try and limit the minds and capabilities of true “geniuses”. Typical Tord.</p>
<p>Tord’s work practices aren’t the most…...ethical anyway.</p>
<p>Tord is not the most “morally right” person, especially when it comes to his inventions. I usually don’t pay it much mind and neither do the other guy’s, but we all know he does a lot a sketchy stuff when we’re not looking. That’s just Tord though, however, I can see why his practices can cause conflict with whatever companies that decide to work with him.</p>
<p>After a while, I hear the arguing subside and Tord comes back into my room, flicks his burnt-out cigarette to the far corner of my room, lets out a heavy sigh, and faceplants straight into my bed causing me to jump up at that sudden action.</p>
<p>“Tord?”</p>
<p>He doesn’t respond and just weighs his face into my pillow.</p>
<p>“Tord?” I try again and feel him reach up and tangle our fingers together.</p>
<p>I let him just lie there for a while, and eventually, he turns his face out to the side from the pillow and just stares at me while I’m sketching.</p>
<p>Okay, try number three….</p>
<p>“Tord?” I ask for the final time before he lets out a loud sigh.</p>
<p>“What?” He sounds drained and as if he really does not want to talk about the phone call that just occurred, so I don’t try and press him about it, but instead just start up a conversation on a different topic.</p>
<p>I untangle our fingers and graze my hand over his face and he closes his eyes and leans into the touch.</p>
<p>“You look awful.” I say plainly while still grazing over his face with my hand.</p>
<p>“What the hell?!” He opens his eyes and give me an offended look.</p>
<p>“You do. Have you seen these bags under your eyes?” I pinch his cheekbone lightly and give him a slight smirk.</p>
<p>“Yeah, whatever.” Tord swipes my hand away and nuzzles his head further into my pillow.</p>
<p>“Get some sleep, it’s not like either of us are doing anything important right now anyway.” I say as he closes his eyes into my pillow.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you may be doing nothing important but working on your little doodles, whereas I have lots of important projects to finish up!” He says in an entitled tone, but its muffled with the pillow in his face.</p>
<p>“Shut up and get some sleep, shorty. You are starting to sound delusional.” I ruffle his hair a bit.</p>
<p>“I am not that much shorter…” He adds, feeling attacked.</p>
<p>“A couple centimeters shorter is still shorter, Tord.” I smirk.</p>
<p>“Whatever…” Tord starts to nod off and I just continue on with my sketches while listening to Tord’s quiet breathing.</p>
<p>While he slept, I could see that his face still looked strained, but there was some weird overcast of relief on his face as well. It was kind of calming watching him snooze there for a bit, but eventually I advert my attention back to my notebook and continue sketching.</p>
<p>A couple hours go by and I start to get hungry. I reach over to plop my notebook on my nightstand and try to shift myself out of my bed as quietly as possible to not wake Tord. He must have been really tired to have slept this long…...</p>
<p>I get one leg out of the bed before I feel a small tug on my sleeve.</p>
<p>“Sorry Tord, I didn’t mean to wake you.” I really didn’t mean to wake him; I swear I barley even moved.</p>
<p>Tord had grabbed onto my sleeve in protest of my leaving and starts to mumble.</p>
<p>“…...get back here, Jehovah…” </p>
<p>Alright, he’s barley awake and he’s already inching for a fight, the little shit.</p>
<p>“Sorry mate, I’m hungry and am not putting up with this right now.” I whisper and pluck his fingers off from my sleeve to proceed with my exit.</p>
<p>His hand goes limp and I start to see his face churn with discomfort.</p>
<p>“Hmmm….” Tord groans and rolls over to the other side of the bed.</p>
<p>I take this opportunity to slip out of the bed completely, and tiptoe out the door to the kitchen.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>Upon coming back to my room, I am greeted by a grumpy Tord sitting upright in my bed giving me a dirty glare.</p>
<p>“Hey, what are you so mad about? You got a couple winks of sleep; you should feel better ya know.” I tease him and round the bed to grab my notebook from my nightstand.</p>
<p>“I do not like being left alone….” Tord glares down at my sheets looking troubled.</p>
<p>“Huh?” I give him a blank expression and my heart churns at the hint of seclusion hidden in his voice.</p>
<p>“Whatever, I am going to my room.” Tord hops from my bed and trails over to my door.</p>
<p>“Are you going to get more sleep?” I ask just before he leaves out the door.</p>
<p>“No, I have some theory reports to type up and I cannot waste any more time here.” He says in the same entitled tone from earlier.</p>
<p>“Ouch. Your time is wasted with me is it?” I say, pretending to be offended.</p>
<p>Tord flashes me a smirk.</p>
<p>“The time was wasted sleeping. If I am going to be spending time with you, I at least want to be awake.” Tord gives me a parting wink and leaves before I can say anything else.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It’s the middle of the night and I’m half-drunk lying on the floor against my bed strumming some chords on Susan. I can hear Tord constructing something in his room next door and it reminds me of how hardworking he really is.</p>
<p>He always makes some crazy gadget or contraption and presents it to us, always making me wonder how the hell he comes up with some of this shit to begin with.</p>
<p>It’s odd but, we live in the same house and I feel like listening to the muffled drill sounds through the wall is the closest I’ve been to Tord in the last couple of days.</p>
<p>I wanted him to stop being flirtatious with me, not stop talking to me overall. I guess this is what I wanted isn’t it? Ever since Tord came back, all I’ve wanted was for him to leave me alone. I should be relieved that he is finally keeping to himself and minding his own business, but for some reason, that’s just not the case. We can just talk semi-normally, right? Why does he have to be this withdrawn from me?</p>
<p>I strum Susan some more before I decided that I had to go to the bathroom. I shakenly stand up and wobble over to my door and start my journey out to the bathroom down the hall. </p>
<p>Once I head out from the bathroom, I cross Tord in the hallway on my way back to my room.</p>
<p>“Hey.” I wave slightly trying to forget about any awkward air between us since dinner a couple nights ago.</p>
<p>Tord just stares at me for a couple seconds and then responds with a snort.</p>
<p>“Drinking again I see.” He says with a condescending tone and a smirk.</p>
<p>“So?” I say overly defensive. This is due to my drunken state, admittedly, I tend to get really defensive and sloppy with my words.</p>
<p>“Nothing, it is just that I am not too surprised.” Tord adds with a sigh.</p>
<p>“What?! Are yer callin’ me an alcoholic?”</p>
<p>I guess I am way more drunk than I thought…</p>
<p>“You tell me. With how much you drink, I think the answer is obvious.” Tord crosses his arms and snorts again.</p>
<p>“Well, you smoke! That’s way worse!” I point at him accusingly as if it were a good defense.</p>
<p>“That is a matter of opinion.” Tord raises and eyebrow at me in a means to belittle me. “Besides, you get drunk more times in a day than Matt does looking in a mirror.” Tord snickers at his own remark and I can feel my drunkenness seep to my tongue.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, well, at least I don’t jerkoff to nipple penetration porn.” I spit back at Tord excepting him to falter back from the verbal attacks.</p>
<p>“That’s rich coming from the same person who would get turned on by the slight touch of a Brühwurst sausage on his tongue.” Tord jabs back and my face flares pink in shock of Tord bringing up one of the most embarrassing memories from my youth.</p>
<p>“It was one time…” I reply shyly.</p>
<p>“Yeah, and the every other time we ordered it for breakfast at the place down the street.” Tord’s smirk grows a bit until he turns and waves me off to proceed back to his room. “Anyway, enjoy your night.”</p>
<p>“W-wait. Tord?” I reach out at him even though we are at a good distance away.</p>
<p>“What, sausage got your tongue?” He says with the same smirk from earlier.</p>
<p>“N-no. I just….” I struggle to get my drunken thoughts organized and eventually start spewing whatever was lingering in my brain. “Y-you are bein’ far….”</p>
<p>“Huh? I am right here.” Tord says rightfully confused with us only being a couple feet apart in the hallway.</p>
<p>“No…. yer too far…like lately…. you’ve been.” I barley manage to slur out.</p>
<p>“You are the one who asked me to be.” Tord says with a raised eyebrow and blank expression.</p>
<p>“N-no…. I just wanted you to stop teasin’ me so much.” I start to avoid his gaze and look towards the ground. “I didn’t want you to stop talking to me…”</p>
<p>“Note taken.” Tord says sharply and turns to head back to his room.</p>
<p>I just stay there in the hall for a while before I sway my way over to my room and slump onto the floor by my bed.</p>
<p>It could just be the alcohol getting to my head, but I start to feel tears swell to my eyes as I lie on the floor of my room pitifully.</p>
<p>This is why Tord left. I keep pushing him away when he’s already a distant person. This probably why he left me…</p>
<p>These are dumb thoughts filling my head, but when I’m drunk, I tend to be really hard on myself for no reason while also being a bit of an asshole to the people around me. I’m awful.</p>
<p>I hold back the rest of the tears and lean back on my bed and just stare blankly at Susan who’s propped up against my closet.</p>
<p>I start to feel a drowse loom over me, and I start to drift off to sleep.</p>
<p>For whatever reason, just before I nod off, I hear Tord’s voice echo in my head.</p>
<p>
  <i>“I do not like being left alone….”</i>
</p>
<p>“…. kind of a funny thing to say and then leave all by yourself two years later……” I mumble to myself before finally drifting to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor Tom ;(</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Note: Tom and Tord are seventeen in the flashback. Tord moved out when the they were nineteen.</p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Making “Matt”ers Worse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Matt has trouble reading the room sometimes...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1>
<p>“Good morning lovely~” I say leaning on the counter in the kitchen, giving Tom a wink as he slumps into the kitchen, obviously hungover from last night.</p>
<p>He gives me a dirty glare and makes his way to the fridge.</p>
<p>“How are you up right now?” Tom groans while rubbing the back of his neck and giving it a good couple cracks. “I’m sure you were up longer than me last night.”</p>
<p>“Tom, it is three in the afternoon.” I give him a blank expression. “It is odd to sleep in that late no matter how late you stay up.” I squint at him accusingly seeing that he is the one who can be knocked out for a full twenty-four hours on a “good” night of drinking.</p>
<p>“Fuck off.” He flips me off and closes the fridge having found nothing to get from it, so he proceeds to slouch over to the toaster and grab the loaf of bread from the counter.</p>
<p>“Come on! Is that how you speak to an old friend?” I smile at him affectionately.</p>
<p>“I’m not your friend.” Tom says flatly and twist open the bag of bread.</p>
<p>Why does he always say this when it is obvious that we are close? He has always been my closest friend, why does he not see me the same way? We have done so much together, we have been so close for so long, why does he not see me the same way I see him? He is the most important person to me, am I not that to him? Who does he like more than me? </p>
<p>What am I doing wrong?</p>
<p>“What is your problem? I know you are hungover and all, but do you have to be an ass twenty-four/seven? Hell, you’re an ass more full-time than your actual job.” I return his dirty glare back with one of my own.</p>
<p>“You’re the one always trying to pick fights with me in the first place.” He tightens his glare. “Maybe I’m an ass all of the time because your always being a pain in mine.” Tom drops two pieces of bread into the top of the toaster and pulls down the lever.</p>
<p>“Ha! Funny, are you not the same person who told me to lay off the teasing last night, and then beg for me to stop avoiding you?” I cross my arms and give him a scowl.</p>
<p>“I was drunk.”</p>
<p>“When are you not?”</p>
<p>Tom just glares back at me while pulling a plate out for himself from the cabinet above his head. I just laugh back in response at how immature he is being about this all.</p>
<p>He is the one always asking things of me, but always never seems to be satisfied with anything I do for him. If he is mad, it should be at himself for his own contradictions.</p>
<p>Well, regardless of who’s at fault, we should stop this little dispute. Getting him on his bad side with me is the last thing I want, especially since we have made so much progress in the last two and a half months.</p>
<p>“Okay, now that you got that off your chest, let us just stop the stupid bickering, okay?” I smile as peacefully as I can to try and simmer his temper.</p>
<p>However, this fails because Tom responds by giving me long glare while twisting the bread bag shut and shoving it back onto the counter.</p>
<p>“Of course you want to stop. You take what you need from me and leave. You only want to cut off the bickering after you have said your peace, then try and look like the good guy.” Tom lashes at me and the atmosphere in the room starts to turn over for the worst.</p>
<p>And I do not make it any better.</p>
<p>“Tom~! Come on, stop getting so mad over nothing! You need to stop making things into what they are not, so quit being so immature and let's just drop this already dead conversation, eh?” I give him a playful smile.</p>
<p>Tom clenches his teeth and grips his hand tightly before an unexpected visitor enters the conversation to make the situation a little more troublesome for me…</p>
<p>Perfectly in sync with the toaster’s “ding” indicating the completion of the bread’s toasting, Matt pops his head into the kitchen with a cheery grin.</p>
<p>“Oh, someone’s making toast!” Matt strides into the kitchen and walks up towards the toaster. “Hey! Lads, you didn’t want to make me any while you were at it? How rude!” Matt pouts, clearly not being able to read the room.</p>
<p>Matt stands between Tom and I in front of the toaster and gives us both a suspicious look, and I try and soften my expression. Matt turns his head to Tom and then back at me just to turn his head back towards Tom and gives him a grunt.</p>
<p>“Ugh, you’re really going to give yourself wrinkles if you keep up that face, mate.” Matt points to the toaster. “I take it this is your toast?” Matt then points at Tom, getting his finger dangerously close to Tom’s face. “Well, it has to be! You’re the only one who ever wakes up this late in the day, you must have been drinking last night then.” Matt elbows Tom in the stomach playfully and Tom’s expression grows more livid as he stands there in silence.</p>
<p>Matt brings his face close to the two freshly made pieces of toast and takes a deep inhale.</p>
<p>“Ah! I just love freshly made toast.” Matt grabs the two pieces of toast and plops them onto the plate Tom brought out for himself. Matt walks off with the two pieces of toast leaving Tom taken aback.</p>
<p>“Matt, that’s mine—”</p>
<p>“Oh hush.” Matt cuts Tom off making Tom’s eye twitch in anger. “You shouldn’t be sleeping in this late to begin with, and you know what they say: “The early bird gets the worm~.”</p>
<p>Matt proceeds to waltz his way across the kitchen to some of the drawers and grabs a butter knife for his stolen toast.</p>
<p>“Matt…” Tom grits his teeth further and something oddly sticks out to me.</p>
<p>There it is. He teeth have grown sharper again….</p>
<p>I’ve seen this happen a number of times when he would get too riled up or provoked, but for some reason I have not paid it too much attention until recently. They get sharp briefly and then revert back to normal after he simmers down, it is only a subtle change though. If you are not paying attention, it would be hard to catch, but I have noticed it for a while now. Considering how often Tom gets riled up, I am guessing Edd and Matt have noticed this as well with him. This would also explain why Matt isn’t reacting too shocked to this sight.</p>
<p>Matt ignores Tom and goes to the butter holder on the other side of the counter and starts to butter the toast casually with a slight pep in his step.</p>
<p>Tom takes a deep exhale and simmers in his own rage, and I decide to take a couple steps back from him.</p>
<p>Damn, he’s mad. I did not help either. Well actually, I am the one who got him this angry to begin with, it was Matt who did not help. How can I turn this back into my favor? At this point, it seems stupid to try and flip things around. I should just leave as soon as I can while his focus is on Matt.</p>
<p>I lean forward from the counter, turn around, and start to back out of the kitchen slowly, until Matt calls out to me.</p>
<p>“Torddy~, did you already eat lunch?” Matt calls out from the counter, making me stop in my escape.</p>
<p>“A-ah, yes I did. Why do you ask?” I say nervously still trying to inch my way out from the kitchen</p>
<p>“Well, we need to go grocery shopping because there isn’t that much to eat around here at the moment. I just wanted to make sure you had found something to eat.”</p>
<p>Tom twitches again at Matt’s involuntary jab.</p>
<p>“Ah yes, I did. Thank you for asking, I will be leaving now, if you don’t mind.” I point my thumb behind me, giving a pardon before I leave and turn back on my heel towards the kitchen exit.</p>
<p>“Wait!” Matt calls back and I stop in my tracks.</p>
<p>“Yes, Matt?” My tone drops to a more irritated one, due to Matt’s ignorance in the situation and just overall utter stupidity in handling Tom when he gets like this.</p>
<p>“Do you mind going out later to get the groceries actually? There really is nothing to eat around here and I would feel bad for anyone who couldn’t get any food.” Matt gives me pleading eyes.</p>
<p>Tom twitches again. </p>
<p>“Luckily, I was able to eat breakfast this morning because I woke up early enough to get the last of whatever we had left.” Matt adds.</p>
<p>Tom grinds his teeth again.</p>
<p>“Not only that, but I was able to get my hands on this toast as well! Oh, I would just feel awful if any one of you lads didn’t have anything to eat.” </p>
<p>Matt woes and Tom inches up to Matt with steam coming out his ears.</p>
<p>“Oh Tom!” Matt pats Tom on the shoulder. “Did you find anything to eat? There’s nothing left just to let you know. You may want to figure something out, or you’ll just be “mister gwrumpy pants” all day.” Matt says in a baby voice and walks off with the toast after having buttered both pieces.</p>
<p>Tom is left steaming in the kitchen as Matt approaches me at the exit-way.</p>
<p>“So lad, you care to go out later and fetch some stuff for us?” Matt gives me a cheery look and I take a glance back at Tom and nod my head, blindly agreeing to Matt’s request. “Yay! You’re a good friend Torddy~!”</p>
<p>“Tord.” I say deadpanned.</p>
<p>“Whatever!” Matt hums before glancing back at Tom in the kitchen. “Aye Tom, why can’t you be like Torddy here?”</p>
<p>Matt, do not bring me into this any further.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Matt continues...</p>
<p>“Torddy is a good pal, I’ve always been able to trust him, plus he doesn’t have as many wrinkles.” Matt jabs at Tom and continues. “Not only that, but he also doesn’t whine as much as you do, Tom. You really need to work on…. you know…...everything.” Matt gives this final jab before Tom finally explodes.</p>
<p>Great, just great…</p>
<p>“YOU KNOW WHAT, FUCK OFF! BOTH OF YOU!” Tom screams and storms out of the kitchen towards the front door.</p>
<p>He shuffles to throw on his shoes and swings open the front door and slams it behind him, making the whole house shake.</p>
<p>Matt and I are standing in the exit-way of the kitchen, just staring at the front door.</p>
<p>“Wow. That’s why you’re a lot better Torddy. You never lash out like that.” Matt points his thumb over to the front door.</p>
<p>“This just made everything harder for me…. thanks Matt.” I mumble to myself.</p>
<p>“Aww, no problem! Anything for a friend!” Matt smiles and strolls off to his room, taking the two stolen pieces or toast with him.</p>
<p>Now, I have another hurdle to clear…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Things just got a lot harder for Tord...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Get ready for more Tord POV's!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The “Usual” Way…</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The boys go on a mission to bring Tom back home.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The language in this chapter is rather vulgar, so heads up!</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1>
<p>It’s hours after Tom stormed out from the house, and Edd, Matt, and I are all collected in the kitchen discussing on Tom’s whereabouts and how to approach the situation.</p>
<p>“Where do you reckon, he went?” Matt asks.</p>
<p>“The bar.” Edd and I both say in unison.</p>
<p>“Ah, yep, that sounds about right.” Matt nods in agreement.</p>
<p>“Well, who’s lookin’ to go and get him?” Edd looks at Matt and I in an anticipating tone.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t you? I tilt my head at Edd. “You are the only one he is not angry at.”</p>
<p>“Ah yes, but alas, I have something to do tonight.” Edd announces and Matt and I squint at him.</p>
<p>“Like what?” Matt presses.</p>
<p>“Uhhh…. like you know…...stuff….” Edd looks to the side nervously. He is most defiantly lying.</p>
<p>“Yeah right!” Matt interjects. “You just don’t want to put up with Tom when he’s drunk and angry.”</p>
<p>“Well, to be fair, none of us do.” I chime in.</p>
<p>“Well yeah, but he has to do it sometime nonetheless.” Matt crosses his arms.</p>
<p>“Rock, paper, scissors?” Edd ask sheepishly.</p>
<p>“No way! Torddy always cheats!” Matt protests.</p>
<p>“No, you are just too predictable.” I retort, although Matt is right. I have a device I constructed that reads body language and tells me exactly what hand sign the person is going to throw. Of course, Matt cannot know that.</p>
<p>“Okay, how about we all go? It will be easier to handle him with three people in case he gets violent.” Edd suggests with a sheepish grin.</p>
<p>Matt and I look at each other and shrug.</p>
<p>“Fine, but you’re the one doing the talking.” Matt points at Edd.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, fine.” Edd nods and tries to give us some reassurance. “Well, it’s been a couple hours anyway. He can’t STILL be THAT mad, right?”</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>He was very mad.</p>
<p>The three of us arrive at the bar down the street from the house to hear Tom busting empty bottles and yelling at some other customers in the bar.</p>
<p>It was late in the night and Tom was making a huge ruckus in the already packed bar. His cheeks had a radiant blush across them, and his words were heavily slurred. There was an endless pile of empty Smirnoff bottles around his station at the bar and he was leaned over the counter hollering at some guys at the other end of the counter. The other guys were tangled up in each other’s arms looking as if they were going to clock Tom at any moment. The bartender is completely reserved from the conflict and was washing glasses as if nothing was happening.</p>
<p>This is not going to be easy…</p>
<p>“I feel bad for yer mom raisn’ such a fuckin’ pansy!” Tom hollers at one of the biggest guys in the group.</p>
<p>“Don’t speak on me mum, dick!” The big guy hollers back at Tom.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sorry, your mother is probably a lovely lady.” Tom apologizes in an exaggerated tone.</p>
<p>“Yeah, she is!” The guy inches towards Tom defensively.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I bet she’s sweet, too bad her son sucks more dick than she does.” Tom scoffs in the guy’s face and the guy starts to burn red with fury.</p>
<p>“Hey! You look like more of the faggot ere’!” The big guy hollers back and points at Tom accusingly.</p>
<p>“Call me what you want, but I still get more pussy than you do, asswipe.” Tom slurs back getting the bigger guy all the more riled.</p>
<p>“No ya don’t! Quit lyin’ ya fag! You can’t name one chick you’ve gotten laid with! And yer mum doesn’t count!” The big guy and his friends all start laughing.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but does yours count?” Tom chuckles back and the big guy shoots up from his stool furiously.</p>
<p>Edd starts frantically pacing towards Tom, and Matt and I follow behind but with significantly less energy.</p>
<p>“Tom!” Edd calls out, in an attempt at interrupting Tom from his string of insults towards the other men.</p>
<p>Tom ignores Edd’s call and continues to bark at the group of guys.</p>
<p>“Well, this is going to suck.” Edd sighs and gives Matt and I a nervous look. “How are we going to pull him out like this?”</p>
<p>“Beats me.” Matt says into his phone camera.</p>
<p>“Who knows.” I say lighting a cigarette.</p>
<p>“Lads…we have to stop him….” Edd whimpers.</p>
<p>“Well, if I recall, you said that YOU would do all of the talking.” Matt says keeping his eyes locked onto his reflection on the screen of his phone.</p>
<p>“Yes but, if he doesn’t listen to me, then you guys have to help!” Edd throws his arms up dramatically.</p>
<p>“Who says that?” I say, taking an exhale from the cigarette.</p>
<p>“I do!” Edd exclaims.</p>
<p>“You’re not our mom.” Matt adds.</p>
<p>Edd was obviously getting upset with us and grabs both of our arms and drags us over to the bar counter closer to the action.</p>
<p>“Edd! No!” Matt whines having almost dropped his phone in the sudden movement. “I can’t risk hurting my beautiful face!”</p>
<p>“We need to help our friend!” Edd say continuing to drag us over to the danger zone.</p>
<p>If I am getting caught up in this, there better be bloodshed soon. If not, this was a waste of my time.</p>
<p>We get over to the counter and Edd grabs the back of Tom’s hoodie aggressively, yanking Tom out from his seat.</p>
<p>“Tom!” Edd shouts.</p>
<p>“E-Edd?” Tom slurs.</p>
<p>“Matt!” Matt adds.</p>
<p>“Stop picking fights with random strangers and let’s go home!” Edd starts dragging Tom out from the bar counter and Matt and I follow, until the group of guys holler back at us.</p>
<p>“Oi! What the bloody hell are yus doin’?” One of the bigger guys shouts.</p>
<p>“Sorry sir, our friend is a tad too intoxicated. We ought to be getting him home soon!” Edd rubs the back of his neck with his free hand. “Sorry for the inconvenience.”</p>
<p>“I-I’m nauwt drunk!” Tom chimes in sloppily and Edd yanks Matt’s phone from his hand and shoves into Tom’s mouth to shut him up.</p>
<p>“Ewwww! You couldn’t have used something else?” Matt whines and Edd hides his irritation with a fake smile.</p>
<p>“Well, if you would excuse us!” Edd adds, and we all start to make our way out of the bar until one of the other bigger guys from the group blocks us off from the door.</p>
<p>“None of yus are goin’ anywhere!” The bigger guy from before hollers back at us. “That twat there, kept making fun of me mum! He ain’t leavin’ till he pays up!”</p>
<p>“Pays up?” Tom hollers back, spitting out Matt’s phone onto the ground, earning a groan from Matt. “I ain’t got no money, I gave it all to yer mom when she blew me last night!” Tom chuckles to himself and the guy starts fuming.</p>
<p>“Why you!” The big guy stomps over to us.</p>
<p>“Jesus, Tom…” Edd curses under his breath.</p>
<p>“Get ovah ere’!” The big guy grabs Tom by the collar and yanks him from Edd’s grasp. “Yer goin’ to get it now you gay piece of shit!”</p>
<p>“Gay? I’m straighter than the pole your mom dances on!” Tom laughs harder and pulls a concealed bottle from the bottom of his hoodie and smashes it into the guy’s face.</p>
<p>Blood and gushes out from every direction of the guy’s face. He falls backward onto the ground and releases Tom onto the ground upon impact.</p>
<p>This was no longer a waste of my time.</p>
<p>Tom stands up over the aching tool bag and just smirks manically.</p>
<p>“If we’re talkin’ gay, then you better pipe up that hole of yours before it keeps spewing some more shit.” Tom laughs to himself before another guy from the group whips his fist right into Tom’s face, knocking him onto the ground.</p>
<p>“I guess that pole’s pretty crooked, huh?” The guy glares down at Tom and cracks his fists.</p>
<p>“Just like your ass-crack after your friend over there blows his load in it.” Tom says weakly pointing at the big guy on the ground beside him while having a line of blood trail down the side of his mouth.</p>
<p>The group of guys start to surround Tom, all looking to get a good swing at him.</p>
<p>“We have to stop this!” Edd screams.</p>
<p>“Yeah, if this goes on Tom’s face is just going to look even uglier than it already did!” Matt shrieks.</p>
<p>“Well, let us do this the “usual” way.” I glance over to Edd and put out my cigarette with the bottom of my shoe.</p>
<p>Edd sighs with a nod.</p>
<p>“Fine, just try not to cause too much damage. We can’t afford to repair the whole place.” Edd sighs again and grabs a conveniently placed shovel on display by an old novelty barrel.</p>
<p>Soon after, Matt grabs the closest “weapon” to him, which just so happened to be an old mop.</p>
<p>“Ah yes, do not worry Edd, you know I do not like to hit anything unless it bleeds, and I do not plan on paying for anyone’s hospital bills tonight...” I grin and start to pull out my handgun I keep concealed in my back pocket.</p>
<p>“I-is that a gun?” One of the meatheads says taking a couple steps back making everyone in the group’s faces run white.</p>
<p>“Want to find out?” Aiming my gun right between the asshole’s eyes, I give him a nice smirk before pulling the trigger.</p>
<p>
  <b>[BANG!]</b>
</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>A cool air runs through the night as the four of us march back to the house after the massive brawl at the bar. Edd’s voice fills the air as he raises it in astonishment at the event that just occurred.</p>
<p>“Tom that was one of the dumbest things you could’ve done tonight!” Edd scolds at Tom who is hanging limply on his back. “Why provoke them?! Not only that, but those guys could’ve also been dangerous! You are lucky Tord is always armed!”</p>
<p>I take a breath from my newly lit cigarette and watch the smoke run up into the night sky as Edd continues to hound on a possibly unconscious Tom.</p>
<p>“Speaking of Tord being armed, you brought a gun?!” Edd shrieks at me as I am taking in the relaxing nightly stroll.</p>
<p>“Relax! They were only rubber bullets.” I wave my hand dismissively at him.</p>
<p>“You didn’t know that! You sounded morbidly disappointed when you set off the first shot saying: “Oh damn it, I brought the wrong one!””</p>
<p>“Yeah, I thought I had my real one on me! You know how disappointed I was when he didn’t start to bleed out?” I pull my cigarette from my mouth in frustration.</p>
<p>“Tord, that’s dangerous! What if he did bleed out?!” Edd screams back.</p>
<p>Grinning at the thought, I take another long drag from my cigarette.</p>
<p>“You’re disgusting Tord.” Edd sighs with a deadpanned expression and goes back to scolding Tom who is barley awake on Edd’s back.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>We all make it back to the house after a while of Edd’s scolding and as soon as we get inside Edd throws Tom’s lifeless body off his shoulders and onto the floor in the foyer.</p>
<p>“Get to bed yourself…” Edd mutters as he angerly marches off to his room and slams his door.</p>
<p>“Geez Tom, looks like you really got him mad.” Matt says crouched down pulling at Tom’s bruised cheek. He then drops Tom’s face back onto the floor, earning a small groan from Tom, and strides back to his room as well.</p>
<p>Standing in the foyer over Tom’s lifeless body, I just stare at him for a while waiting to see if he has anything to say after the whole ordeal at the bar. Instead, he just lays there in silence and I decide to head to my room as well.</p>
<p>Turning around to the hallway where my bedroom lies, I hear a slight sound from the floor behind me.</p>
<p>“Tord?” Tom calls out weakly.</p>
<p>I hesitate before responding, contemplating if that is the right move in this situation. Eventually, I respond anyway.</p>
<p>“What?” I give a blank expression as I turn my shoulder to look at him.</p>
<p>“I knew you were still here.” Tom says, motionless from his pitiful position on the floor.</p>
<p>“Okay, did you need something?” I ask, still wanting to get to my room.</p>
<p>“No. Goodnight.” He says plainly.</p>
<p>I stare at him for a couple more seconds before finally heading off to my room, leaving him left on the floor for the night.</p>
<p>“He must have taken a blow to the head or something.” I say with a shrug as I head to my room to sleep off this mildly satisfying but chaotic night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tom is very Gay btw. He has never slept with a women in his life, he just knows how to get under other's skins...</p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. To be a Leader</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's the next morning after the brawl at the bar, and Tord's life becomes a little bit more complicated...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Surprises this week! Enjoy the chapter and read the end notes for more info. :D</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1>
<p>“Good Moring Tord!” Edd greets me with a big goofy smile plastered on his face.</p>
<p>Edd is sitting at the kitchen table wearing his famous “Smeg Head” tee shirt. He is reading some random comic with a can of cola by him on the table as Ringo lies, resting on his lap.</p>
<p>“Morgen, Edd.” I yawn as I enter the kitchen and open the fridge to find a couple of cans of cola, and no food. Fantastic. “Hey…” I glance over to Edd who was nodding his head in understanding before I address the current issue.</p>
<p>“Yeah, there’s nothing in there. I think someone was supposed to go out yesterday, but we kind of got caught up in the whole bar situation…” Edd chuckles.</p>
<p>“Ah, yes, that was supposed to be me.” I lean against the counter and rub the back of my neck.</p>
<p>“You? Volunteer for getting groceries?” Edd gasps overdramatically.</p>
<p>“Of course not.” I sigh. “Matt asked me to yesterday and I mindlessly agreed, somewhat.”</p>
<p>“Somewhat?” Edd tilts his head at me.</p>
<p>“Well before I could give a definitive answer, Tom stormed out.” I give out a long sigh.</p>
<p>“I see.” Edd takes a sip from his cola. “Well, do you mind going out later? I’ve been kind of busy lately and Matt will put up a fight if I ask him. I don’t quite feel like spending time convincing Matt to go either. As for Tom, well he’s still very hungover. So, would you mind?” </p>
<p>His face looks as if he is almost begging me to go, so I will comply, knowing that his other options are not as practical.</p>
<p>“Sure, I am not trying to starve anyway.” I shrug at him and he smiles back.</p>
<p>“Thanks, Tord. You know…” Edd stops and looks down at his cola but starts again. “You know, Tom drank a lot after you left.”</p>
<p>“……”</p>
<p>I give no reply, so Edd proceeds in speaking.</p>
<p>“You know, Tom loves drinking. It’s not like he wasn’t big on drinking before you left either.” Edd sighs and shifts his gaze to his feet. “It’s just that, Tom had a lot of nights like last night when you left…”</p>
<p>“…”</p>
<p>I stare at Edd in silence as he continues to collect his words.</p>
<p>“He was really torn about you leaving, eight years ago…” Edd pauses again to look back at his can of cola, but then continues once more. “Nights like last night would happen often and for a while, it was rare to see him sober.” </p>
<p>It is obvious that Edd is distressed by this topic and does not wish to bring this up about Tom, but I guess he feels as if it were necessary for me to know this. Why?</p>
<p>“I don’t really care what Tom does with himself. He can go and drink off his problems if he wants to, but I hate to see him like that again. He wasn’t like himself at all…” Edd’s expression softens, and he looks up at me. “You don’t really need to know this, I just thought I’d let you know.” </p>
<p>Edd gives me a small smile and I just stand there, once again, not saying anything in response. </p>
<p>“Just try not to fight too much, I know you two mean a lot each other. I mean, we’re all friends after all!” Edd smiles at me and I nod my head.</p>
<p>“…okay” </p>
<p>In a means to quickly release myself from this topic of conversation, I swiftly pull myself off from the counter and pace over to the foyer.</p>
<p>Once I get to the foyer, I was expecting to see Tom still there on the floor passed out from last night. Alas, he was not. My guess is that he eventually picked himself up and made it to his room. How unfortunate, I was hoping to make fun of him for crashing on the floor all night.</p>
<p>“Are you going out now, Tord?” Edd calls to me from the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Edd, there is nothing in the fridge. If I do not go now, we will have nothing to eat this morning.” I holler back while putting on my shoes.</p>
<p>“I know, I know, I can always count on you for this stuff, so thank you.” I hear Edd giggle to himself. “While you’re out, make sure to pick up some more cola as well! You’re the best Tord!” Even though Edd’s in other room I can hear the goofy smile on his face when he says this.</p>
<p>“Whatever.” I wave back out the door and start the small stroll over to the grocery store.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>After grabbing enough stuff from the store to hold everyone down on food for the next week, I make my way out from the grocery store to start my journey back to the house.</p>
<p>The weather today seems rather odd for England. It is normally very dreary and dull, the way I like most days to be, but for some reason this morning has been all bright and sunny despite the weather getting colder.</p>
<p>I hate it.</p>
<p>Sunny days always make me irritated. The conversation with Edd earlier is already weighing on my shoulders, so having to put up with the sun’s bullshit today is just draining me even more.</p>
<p>Tom drinks for the sport, not really for any other reason. He just drinks because he always has, but how am I suppose process his increase in drinking after my leaving eight years ago? It is his choice to behave that way, it is out of my control. Is Edd telling me that Tom has been drinking his life away after my leaving supposed to make me feel guilty or something?</p>
<p>What am I supposed to say to that?</p>
<p>Fuck this stupid sun…</p>
<p>Upon my exit from the grocery store, my phone rings in my back pocket.</p>
<p>“Ugh.” I groan and exchange all of the grocery bags into my left hand and pull out my phone to see that the contact ID says “Unknown”. I answer it anyway, seeing that it could still be important.</p>
<p>“Hello?” I sigh and continue walking.</p>
<p>“Sir, you have been ignoring our calls.” A familiar deep and raspy voice reaches my ear and I stop in my tracks on the sidewalk.</p>
<p>“…you…” I start but get cut off by the voice from the phone.</p>
<p>“Sir, it is extremely unprofessional and completely negligent of you to act the way you have been lately. There are many of us from the immediate quadrant wondering about your whereabouts and what possible trouble you could be in.” The voice starts to grow more stern and I just lifelessly hold the phone to my ear as he continues.</p>
<p>“Luckily, we know our leader, and we know that if you were in trouble, you would have been able to take care of it by now. Our only conclusion is that you left willingly, am I wrong sir?”</p>
<p>“…..”</p>
<p>Staying silent, he continues to speak instead.</p>
<p>“Well, regardless we need you back, and have been researching globally for possible areas you may be in. If you do not come back first, then we will come and get you ourselves, sir.” He sighs over the phone and continues. “This is a very crucial time in our organization’s development, and we need our lead—”</p>
<p>“Paul…WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GIVING ORDERS TO?!” I snap and scream over the phone.</p>
<p>“……sir I—”</p>
<p>“Do NOT step out of place! To call me out of nowhere is extremely disrespectful to your general, and you should be reprimanded severely for that, as well as for overstepping ME! ME?! You have surely lost your mind.”</p>
<p>“…but sir, I would have notified you, but you weren’t answering your phone when we called normally…”</p>
<p>“Paul….” I feel my voice gets low. “Are you trying to justify your actions right now?” I raise an eyebrow at him. Although he cannot see it, I know he knows I am doing it just from my tone alone.</p>
<p>“…...n-no sir, I just—”</p>
<p>“You “just” what?! You “just” want to make my life harder, do you not?”</p>
<p>“No sir.”</p>
<p>“Well…THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING!” I snap again at him and take a long exhale before proceeding in this abhorred conversation.</p>
<p>“Paul, you, and anyone else from the immediate quadrant, are forbidden from trying to contact me further in my absence. Anyone who does, will be reprimanded and purged for their wrongdoings as well as punished to the highest degree for immediate treason of you highest power. Do you understand?”</p>
<p>“…. but sir….”</p>
<p>The hesitance in his voice makes me grit at my teeth as I ask him again.</p>
<p>“Paul, I will only ask one more time: Do you understand?”</p>
<p>“…yes sir.”</p>
<p>“Good. Let everyone know that I am alive and well and will be handling my own affairs by myself for the time being.”</p>
<p>“Yes sir.”</p>
<p>“Paul?”</p>
<p>“Yes sir”</p>
<p>“Let us never have to have this conversation again, understood?”</p>
<p>“Yes sir.”</p>
<p>“Good.” I hang up and jam my phone back into my back pocket.</p>
<p>Taking another deep exhale, all of my repressed thoughts on the organization come flowing through my head.</p>
<p>
  <i>“I have to go back eventually….”</i>
</p>
<p>While my free hand is out, I reach to my other back pocket for a cigarette but find none, due to my hurried exit from the house not giving me a chance to grab a pack before leaving.</p>
<p>As the weight on my shoulders increases, I take another long sigh and continue my stroll back to the house.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>“Yay food!” Matt comes skipping up to me as I come through the door. “Did you get my cookies?” He asks as I ignore him and walk over to the kitchen to drop the bags off on the counter.</p>
<p>As I walk in, Edd is still sitting at the table reading the same comic from earlier.</p>
<p>“Oh, you’re back.” He looks up from his comic and smiles. “Thanks, again mate! I’m really glad I can trust you!”</p>
<p>My mind has gone numb from what Edd said about Tom, as well as from that wearing conversation I had over the phone earlier. Everything feels meaningless, and I cannot focus on anything right now.</p>
<p>“No problem.” I reply sharply.</p>
<p>Edd stares blankly at me for a couple seconds.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” He asks and folds his comic.</p>
<p>“Ah yes, of course I am. I have not eaten yet, so I am kind of out of it right now.” I lie to him and smile back.</p>
<p>Nothing really feels right anymore, and this conversation feels forced. I cannot focus on anything. Everything I have worked so hard to attain and build these past couple of years feels worthless now. But the organization I lead has so much potential, to let it crumble before it has even had the chance to fly is just senseless. My following grows every day and continuing my leadership in this primal time will set us to new heights and inflict change globally. However, that is not what I want right now…</p>
<p>Right now, I need a piece of my life that has been so important to me for so long. Nothing will feel right anymore until I have this piece. It feels like I am so close to attaining this piece, but something…or someone keeps pushing me away.</p>
<p>Having this piece, leading the army; both will bring meaning to my life, but that goal of attaining both just seems farther out of reach right now…</p>
<p>Can I attain both? Or will I have to pick between the two?</p>
<p>All I know is that I will not “lose” ever again…</p>
<p>“Yeah, that makes sense.” Edd’s voice pulls me from my thoughts as he rises up from his chair to look through the grocery bags, while Matt enters the kitchen still asking about his cookies.</p>
<p>“Edd, check for my cookies in there!” Matt props himself on Edd’s shoulders and Edd groans.</p>
<p>“Matt, give me a second! I just got up to look at them.” Edd says with a chuckle and I sway over to the other side of the counter to avoid the commotion.</p>
<p>After watching Edd and Matt fight over the groceries, I decide to just head back to my room. There is too much going through my head and I am not up to deal with buffoonery of the house right now.</p>
<p>“Hey, Tord! Did you not want anything to eat? I can make us all something before Tom wakes up.” Edd turns to me from the kitchen, and I wave him off.</p>
<p>“It is okay, I am not hungry.”</p>
<p>Edd tilts his head at me in confusion, but I ignore it and turn around to sway off to my room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Over a thousand hits???? It feels so stupid to get so happy over something like this, but I never thought anyone would read my writing‘o(╥﹏╥)o’</p>
<p>Since the story has reached such a milestone, I am uploading two more chapters this week! (Three in total)</p>
<p>Thank you all for reading and I'll see you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Obsession</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tord's motives become more clear...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1>
<p>After coming back from the grocery store, I coop myself up in my room and slump myself onto my bed. I am tired, really tired, but I cannot sleep with these looming thoughts clouding my brain like this. I sit up from my bed and slug over to my desk and pull out my laptop to finish up some theory research papers I have been working on. </p>
<p>Work usually helps me keep my head straight, I always have to be doing something productive. I cannot just let my brain rot watching TV twenty-four/seven like the other guys do. It is typical for me to stay up late at night, endlessly working on project after project, research paper after paper. While I do enjoy the actual process of most projects, it is the results that give me true satisfaction. No matter how many hours and sleepless nights I put into in an experiment or project, as long as it turns out the exactly the way I had planned it to, it makes it all worth it.</p>
<p>My head is all mixed up right now and working on some research papers should help clear it up a bit. Whenever I have any doubts or fears rising to my head, I start creating something new, in hopes of it distracting me from the initial issue.</p>
<p>Now “fear” is an interesting concept.</p>
<p>I have never “feared” anything, this is especially true in my line of work. Life is all about the trials and the errors, to be fearful of either will have disappointing results. I have risked my life numerous times to pull out the most of my potential in my experiments; never once have I felt true “fear”.</p>
<p>There is only once when fear had engulfed my heart. This fear was of something I had never felt before. It was a fear that I had never thought to be something that could leave me petrified, absolutely terrified of the results. </p>
<p>Loss.</p>
<p>Something that only those who have something to lose can feel.</p><hr/>
<p>It is going to be one of those days, isn’t it?</p>
<p>Concealing my hands in the pockets of my long black coat, I sway down the hall over to Tom’s room and let myself in, earning a grunt from Tom.</p>
<p>“…. Tord.” He lazily perks his head up from his bed and gives me a scowl. “Stop letting yourself in. This is MY room.”</p>
<p>Ah, he is drunk…again.</p>
<p>“I told you I would only knock if I were in here with a means to see you. Today I am here for my lab, so I did not see that I needed to knock.” Normally Tom would still be upset at my entrance, but in his state of drunkenness, I do not think he will put up much of a fight.</p>
<p>“This is still my room….” He mumbles to himself.</p>
<p>“Well, Edd and I lived here first.” I cross my arms and wait for one of his usual sloppy retorts.</p>
<p>“Well, Matt and I lived here second.” He starts to hang upside down on his bed chuckling to himself as if it were a clever remark.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, but this room was once mine, so can blame for building it in here?” I jam my hands back into my pockets and start to make my way across the room to unlock the massive latch on the wall dividing Tom’s room from my lab.</p>
<p>After inserting my electronic key card into the sensor on the side of the wall, the latch unlocks. Taking the wall with both hands, I pry it open to reveal my “in-home” lab I built into the house when Edd and I first moved in.</p>
<p>It’s not too big, but it worked for what I needed it to when I initially built it. Before Tom and Matt moved in with Edd and I, Tom’s room was mine. I had no clue that they were going to move in with us a year later, so I did not take that into consideration before constructing a lab as an extension of my bedroom. Once the two did move in, I took the biggest room next door to this one and left Tom with this room. </p>
<p>“Why does it have to be my room?” Tom whines behind me and starts slowing sliding off his bed until he accidently bumps his head onto the ground. I try and hold back a snicker as he holds his head and aches in pain on the ground.</p>
<p>“I would not have built it in here if I knew you and Matt were going to move in.” I reply.</p>
<p>Of course, I could have just built another lab in my current room, or have tried to keep this room for myself when Tom and Matt moved in, but that would mean I would have less excuses to barge in on Tom whenever I please~</p>
<p>Tom props himself upright on the floor still rubbing the spot on his head that had impacted with the ground.</p>
<p>“Can’t you just make an entrance from the other side of wall from your room?” Tom whines, still rubbing at his head.</p>
<p>“Well of course I could.” I turn back and smirk at him. “Then our rooms would be connected through the lab in the middle, is that what you want~?” I toss him a wink and his face flushes to a lovely pink.</p>
<p>“I-I would just keep the latch locked on the door dumbass.” Tom starts fumbling with his words, which tells me that I am pushing all the right buttons.</p>
<p>“That would not stop me~” I chuckle while Tom is left on the floor stuttering for a response, but he just gives up and takes a swig from his flask.</p>
<p>I stride into my lab and everything is still untouched from my last visit. I am the only one with a key to the latch on this place, so despite the lab being in Tom’s room; he cannot get in without the key. It is not like he would want to come anyway; he is usually uninterested in my projects.</p>
<p>Making my way further into the lab, I roll up my sleeves and start doing the usual routine checkups on all of the machinery. Everything has to be monitored weekly at the minimum, so every week I come here and do a sweep through of all the machines and chemicals.</p>
<p>“Why does it always look bigger in here than in my room?” Tom’s voice travels over from the lab entrance.</p>
<p>“That’s because it is.” I reply sharply and Tom whips his head towards me.</p>
<p>“What, why?”</p>
<p>“I valued my research over sleep and comfort at the time (still do) and had spent much more time in here than I did in the other half of the room.” I say and peek my head up from below the machine I was inspecting.</p>
<p>“Well, shit, now there’s less s-space in my room because of this s-stupid lab.” Tom tries to speak between hiccups and it just makes it even harder to take him seriously.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I did not know you were going to move in here.” I shrug, pretending to be apologetic and move on to the next appliance.</p>
<p>“Yeah, so why did you move to your current room, when I could have taken that instead?” Tom points his finger accusingly at me.</p>
<p>“That is because it was the biggest room, and I had the most stuff. Remember? We have spoken about this before.” I reply, rolling my eyes as I hear him start to pout from behind me.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I have a lot of stuff too. Why didn’t we like flip a coin or something?”</p>
<p>“You know, that may have been a better a better idea. We will do that next time.” I say sarcastically.</p>
<p>Of course there will be no “next time”. I wanted to bigger room, so I took it when I had the chance. Nothing complex about it.</p>
<p>“Yeah, right! Selfish asshole.” Tom takes another swig from his flask and I shrug off his remark with a small grin.</p>
<p>Tom then comes wandering further into the lab eyeing at everything like a small child would.</p>
<p>“T-Tord, you should paint the walls. It’s way too industrial-looking in here.” Just by his speech alone, it was obvious he was getting more drunk by the second. However, it is not like this is anything new with Tom.</p>
<p>“Nope! Too much work.” I holler back at him while trying to fix a couple loose screws under one of the generators towards the back of the lab.</p>
<p>“Yeah, painting the walls is too much work…” Tom says to himself sarcastically. “How long did it even take him to build this place…?” I hear Tom continue to mumble to himself quietly and a small smirk rises to my face at the way his mind wanders sometimes. </p>
<p>I try and finish up the physical checkups rather quickly so I can start working on some labeling and arranging.</p>
<p>Once the mechanic checkups were complete, I made my way over to my research counter to start relabeling my elixir collection. Some may have reached their expiration date, so I may need to dispose and redate some of them.</p>
<p>Tom just continues to wander around the lab until he eventually decides to sit in the stool next to my research counter and starts spinning around aimlessly in the chair, humming some random tune.</p>
<p>After a while of labeling and arranging my elixir collection, I drain out the expired ones into the chemical sink by the counter and throw out the glass bottles into the biohazard bin on the floor beneath the counter. Then, I start collecting the other elixirs that are still to be tested for future uses and lay them to the far side of the counter by Tom, while I finish pouring out the expired ones. I will leave the lab after I finish cleaning up this counter. After that, it seems like a good time to wrap up this weekly checkup and lock this place up until the next visit.</p>
<p>Once I put all of my lingering equipment away, I go to grab the other elixirs I had set aside earlier at the other end of the counter. I open the chemical fridge under my research counter and start grabbing the bottles one by one. I pick up each bottle and set them into the fridge under their assigned labels. All of the bottles were accounted for except…</p>
<p>I stop in my tracks and start to frantically tear apart my workspace on my lab counter trying to locate the missing elixir. That one was easily the most important of the bunch that I had just put away, as well as the most unstable; and I lost it? No, they were all next to each other, so how is it that this one elixir is gone? Where did it…</p>
<p>My blood runs ice cold and I feel a thick sweat arise to the surface of my face.</p>
<p>I slowly pivot my head over to Tom, who is casually standing next to me; my face runs white.</p>
<p>“What?” Tom slurs and gives me curious look while taking another swig from his flask.</p>
<p>“Tom…there was a glass bottle on the counter, right here.” I point to the empty space where said bottle in question used to be. “Tom…where did it go?” I swallow thickly hoping that “that” bottle is not where I think it went.</p>
<p>“Why would I know?” A small hiccup leaves Tom’s throat.</p>
<p>“Tom…” I feel myself start to panic slightly, knowing that if he did what I think he did…</p>
<p>“What?” Tom starts to look more annoyed with every passing second as I am trying to hysterically scramble my words together.</p>
<p>“You didn’t touch anything on this counter, d-did you?” I grab onto both of his arms and grip at his elbows, almost pleading.</p>
<p>“No~” Tom smirks at me playfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh God.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tom, please, please tell me you did not take anything from this counter.”</p>
<p>Tom hums to himself all giddy-like before he finally gives me an honest answer.</p>
<p>“Okay fine, I did.” Tom gives me a nonchalant shrug. “What’s the matter though? All I did was grab one of the bottles of Smirnoff from the counter. You know I love Smirnoff Tord~” Tom grabs my elbows back and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh my God.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tom, that bottle of “Smirnoff” on the counter, did you drink it?” I plea.</p>
<p>I don’t really believe in God, I am not religious in the slightest, but at this moment, I am praying to whatever God is out there that he did not drink that bottle.</p>
<p>“Duh. It’s Smirnoff Tord, I couldn’t help myself~” Tom nestles his head with mine, and right as he does this, I see the elixir vile left out on the ground behind him; empty.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My heart sinks into my stomach and my hands start to shake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tom…that was not Smirnoff.” My voice shakes as I grab his face silently pleading for him to be okay.</p>
<p>I quickly start examining his face, looking for any skin reactions, irritants, or possible inflammations.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>Slipping my hands under his grey “Stay Safe” tee shirt, I start to feel around his abdomen and chest for any variants in his skin texture or color.</p>
<p>“Hey Tord~” He starts to squirm. “That tickles~”</p>
<p>Nothing. Nothing at all…</p>
<p>He looks fine and he is not acting any different from before. Since he drank “that” elixir he should most defiantly be showing some……symptoms……of the potion. However, he seems perfectly fine. </p>
<p>That elixir was beyond ready for human consumption, after drinking it he should feel something. Hell, he should not even be alive right now…</p>
<p>My heart tightens at the thought.</p>
<p>Wait, when have I ever cared about something like that? I have tested thousands of experiments on numerous people, but I have never once cared for their wellbeing afterwards. I am sure that a lot of my testings and experiments have harmed many people, but I feel nothing for them. All of my failed experiments and testings have never brought me grief. This is because I take those losses and turn them into opportunities for improvement. Yes, exactly. If this elixir is a flop and Tom dies because of it, I would not care—</p>
<p><b>No, I would care. I would care A LOT.</b> <strike>Why is that?</strike></p>
<p><i>“Calm down, he is fine.”</i> My head starts feeling fuzzy and I try to keep my breathing straight as I try and continue my examination of Tom’s body.</p>
<p>From what I can see, he looks completely normal. Is he feeling Nauseous? Lightheaded? Anything? Tom is a professional alcoholic, so if he did feel any of those symptoms, he is probably use to it when he is drunk.</p>
<p>“Tom, do you feel any different after drinking that bottle?” Lifting my hands out from under his shirt, I try and direct his lidded eyes towards mine.</p>
<p>He gives me a blank stare and shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Tord, don’t be upset. I didn’t know…” Tom leans in and wraps his arms around my neck, giving me a warm embrace. “I’m sorry Tord, I didn’t mean to drink your booze, don’t be sad.” He pouts and starts to caress the back of my head gently as if I am the one that should be upset, I am, but I am way more worried for the effects the elixir may have on him than I am about him drinking it overall.</p>
<p>“Tom…” I go limp into the hug and just stare at the empty bottle rolled across the floor. He has no clue that he just drank the most unstable, lethal elixir I have ever developed.</p>
<p>“Don’t be sad Tord. We can buy more booze.” He continues to pet the back of my head consolingly.</p>
<p>Well, what is the worst that could happen? He should have had a reaction by now. Was it a dud? </p>
<p>I will just have to keep a close eye on him to monitor the effects…</p><hr/>
<p>Luckily, he ended up fine. The elixir was most likely a dud, and he has been fine ever since. At that time, I had no idea as to why I reacted the way I did.</p>
<p>Scared, me? I thought the idea was absurd, but I was. The idea of losing Tom that day had me truly petrified. I had never felt this way towards anything, or anyone before. Once I left the house eight years ago, I have always felt as if I was running on my own, I was. Even after my life started to pick up and I had created a following, I did not feel as happy as I thought I should have been. Being with Tom made me happy, I <b>need</b> him. He is what brought me back to the house in the first place. Now that I am back, I have to keep what is mine.</p>
<p>If loss is only felt by those who have something to lose, then it is clear as to why I had never felt this fear before this incident.</p>
<p>After Tom drank that bottle that day, it was clear to me that Tom was the only thing in my life that was had ever been truly <b>mine</b>.</p>
<p>I was afraid of losing the only thing I “had”, and the only thing I have ever “had” before. It is because of this, that my fear of loss is greater than most others. Leaving the house was a test of this fear, to see if I could smother this fear and not allow it to stifle me from achieving my goals in life. Surly enough……</p>
<p>I failed.</p>
<p>Something I learned while I was gone is that if there is only one thing you have to lose in this world, it does not mean it is easier to be content with its parting. It only means that upon parting, it is this only thing you can think of.</p>
<p>It becomes an obsession.</p>
<p>I continued working at my desk all throughout the day, over till the next day into the afternoon, trying to keep these thoughts repressed in the back of my head so they no longer disturb me. Unfortunately, these thoughts continued to cloud my head for all those hours I worked, and I found myself in a rut that seemed almost impossible to get out of…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tord put his entire future in jeopardy, just to see Tom again... ‘(╥╥)’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. That Day Was a Rainy One...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Someone clears the clouds in Tord head.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p><p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p><p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1><p>After working in my room for hours on end, I glance at my phone to see that much more time has passed than I had thought. I came into my room yesterday morning and it was now six in the afternoon the following day. It is not unusual for me to keep myself cooped up in my room for this long without food or sleep, but I have not left my room to even go to the bathroom. That being said, I decided that now is the time to do just that.</p><p>I rise from my desk and sulk over to my door and my peek my head out to see if there was anyone around. As of right now, I am not in the mood to really talk to anyone. I can manage a conversation with Edd, but talking to Tom or Matt right now would just drain me out more than I already am. Still, I rather not talk to any of them at the moment, I would just like to get to the bathroom and back without any disruptions.</p><p>After peeking my head out, I lightly walk down the hall to the bathroom and successfully make it there without any interferences. I proceed to relive myself and wash my hands swiftly as I make my way to exit out the bathroom door. Peeking my head out again, I look down the hallway for any of the other guys. The coast is clear, and I pace back to my room. However, just when I thought I was clear, Tom rounds the corner of the hallway and catches my eye just as I reach the handle of my door.</p><p>Fuck. He was the one I was primarily trying to avoid…</p><p>“Tord?” Tom looks at me with an oddly concerned look and I ignore it and proceed to open the door to my room. “Wait, Tord!” Tom runs up to me and grabs my arm, stopping me in my tracks.</p><p>“What do you want?” I turn my head back to him and say with a plain expression.</p><p>“You….” Tom stares at me up close for a couple seconds and then starts again. “Come with me.” His voice is low and serious as he yanks my arm and drags me down the hallway towards the foyer.</p><p>“Tom, what the hell?” I protest and try to pull back, but he tightens his grip and continues to lead me to the door.</p><p>What has gotten into him? Is he mad? What did I do? We have not spoken since he blacked out a two nights ago. There is nothing I have done since then to get him all riled up at me. Is he still mad from before then? Damn it, I never know what he’s thinking…</p><p>Before we leave, he slides me my shoes and commands me to put them on.</p><p>“Tom, what are you doing?” I give him an irritated glare.</p><p>“Tord, just put on your shoes and come with me.” His face is stern, and his voice is unsettlingly steady.</p><p>He is acting odd. We have not spoken properly since his little outburst the day before yesterday, and now he is ordering me around? Normally, I would protest more but seeing such a firm look on his face just makes me want to comply despite not having any clue as to where he plans on taking me, or what he plans to do upon getting there.</p><p>I stand there and look at him for a couple seconds and then start to put on my shoes with my free hand as Tom is still gripping onto the other.</p><p>Tom starts putting on his checkered shoes and after we both have our shoes on, Tom leads me out the front door and walks us down the street.</p><p>We walk for a while. Tom just holds my wrist and keeps dragging me down sidewalk after sidewalk until I start to lose track of where we are in our small town. It feels like we have been walking forever, what makes things worse is that he is not even talking to me. He is just dragging me by the wrist through some random streets in a hurried pace, as if we are late to something. His face is still firm, and he looks a bit less irritated than he did at the house, but he is still acting weird to be this impulsive. Why is he acting like this? He takes one look at me and now he is all pissed and dragging me around the streets aimlessly? He is so confusing. He is almost impossible to understand most of the time. How am I even suppose respond when he does stuff like this?</p><p>“Finally.” Tom stops and looks around at the empty streets and ghosted buildings that surround us.</p><p>“Finally, what?” I say, slightly out of breath from all of the fast walking we did for the last thirty minutes.</p><p>“We’re here.” Tom lets go of my hand and stuffs his into the pockets of his jeans. His face is much calmer than when we left.</p><p>“Where is here?” I give him a deadpanned expression due to my loss of patience and slight un-comfortability with the cold breeze that sweeps pass every couple of seconds.</p><p>We left the house so abruptly that all I’m wearing is a black tee shirt and joggers, with a red zip-up hoodie. I am somewhat well dressed for the weather, but Tom is wearing even less than me. He is in a grey “ASDF” tee shirt and black jeans. The sun is setting, so it is getting colder, and Tom is not wearing that many layers. He must be cold, but he is just humming around me comfortably as if he weren’t.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Tom turns his head and looks at me with a blank expression.</p><p>“You do not know?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“Really?” I raise an eyebrow at him skeptically.</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>“I see.” We both stand on the sidewalk next to each other staring at the empty busted buildings in front of us, and tall broken streetlights hovering over them. “So, Tom?” I break the silence and keep my stare to the ghosted buildings.</p><p>“Yeah, what’s up?” He turns his head towards me, and I turn mine back at him.</p><p>“Why the fuck are we here?” I return to my deadpanned expression and Tom returns it with a smile.</p><p>“Good question.” He looks to the sky.</p><p>“Yes, it is, now are you going to answer it?” I cock an eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Maybe.” Tom shrugs and looks back out to the building,s and his response gets me slightly more irritated.</p><p>“Tom.” I say with a more serious tone and he finally caves.</p><p>“Okay, fine. You were asking I why I brought us here right?” Tom turns his head back to me.</p><p>“Yes.” I drop my shoulders and say flatly.</p><p>“Well, doesn’t this place look familiar at all?” Tom points out towards the empty buildings, anticipating my response.</p><p>I look around again and make notice of every little detail of the tiny, busted street we are currently standing in the middle of. There were a lot of old empty office buildings all stacked by each other on a corner of the street. There were huge broken streetlights and inactive powerlines lined up around those buildings, and there was a landfill to the side of that street corner that also looked to be an inactive settlement. It was a quiet little area with a bunch of abandoned buildings and services, it is quite calming to be standing here staring at it. However, nothing strikes me as “familiar”.</p><p>“No, it does not.” I cross my arms and look at him.</p><p>“Good. It shouldn’t, because we’ve never been here before.” Tom flashes me another smile.</p><p>“……then why did you ask if it looked familiar?”</p><p>“Just to make sure you had never been here before, that’s the important part in why we’re here.”</p><p>“Tom.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“Why the fuck ARE we here?” I repeat for the second time hoping I finally get an answer from him..</p><p>“You seemed upset; thought you would need some space. You were cooped up in you room for hours on end, so I thought this would be a great change of pace.” Tom shifts his gaze from me to his feet and shrugs.</p><p>I say nothing and just stare at him.</p><p>I am not going to deny that notion, but for him to notice after only taking once glace at my face is just…Tom, it is very Tom of him to make an assumption like that with such little information… </p><p>He has always been like that too. He can almost always guess how I’m feeling without much being said. As of now, his assumption is correct, of course, but he is a part of why I am upset in the first place. I am trying to fix what I ruined years ago, but he is not making it very easy. He is always so closed off, but yet, he will go out of his way to lure me out of the house and drag me to some random place just to make me feel better? Hypocrisy, really. He always expects me to open up to him, but he will never be the one to open up to me. The worst part is that I rarely have to tell Tom anything because he always knows. </p><p>I was bullied a couple years back and I hid it from Tom and the other guys. It is not like I was ashamed or anything, I just rather them not know. However, Tom asked me just one question after taking notice in the change in my demeanor, and I caved and told him everything. If I had not told him, he would have found out on his own, that is just who he is.</p><p>Tom picks up his gaze from the ground and looks at me with slight concern in his face.</p><p>“Tord, are you oka—”</p><p>“Why do you care?” I cut him off and smile at him almost hysterically.</p><p>He pauses, looks at me and frowns.</p><p>“I don’t know….” He shifts his gaze back to the ground by his feet.</p><p>My smile drops and we both just stand there for a while in a comfortable silence, only the sound of the wind passing fills the air.</p><p>Tom cannot deny that bringing me here to “cheer me up” is very contradictory to what he has been doing for the past three and a half months I have been back. He has avoided me, slurred at me, yelled at me, and has even stated that he hated me, now he suddenly cares how I feel? Stupidly enough, I believe it. Despite all of the poor treatment I have received from him recently, I know he was hurt by my leaving and that he is only acting off that. That being said, what am I supposed to do? How does he want me to react? These are questions that I have to figure out on my own. I just hope I do not make any more mistakes…</p><p>“So, why are we here then?” I break the silence and try to direct the conversation back to the main topic.</p><p>He picks his head up from the ground and a small smile curls to the side of his lips.</p><p>“Do you remember when we got into fight a couple years ago, and we both stormed out from the house, got lost, but still ended up running into each other in the same place?”</p><p>“Somewhat.” I say plainly.</p><p>“Come on, remember when we lashed out at each other at the house a couple years back, and we both stormed out opposite sides of the house even though it was pouring rain outside, and then circled back together in some random place by accident.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, you followed me out of the house after I stormed out and claimed you got lost with me.” I raise my finger at him accusingly.</p><p>“No. YOU followed ME after I stormed out.”  Tom points back at me in the same manner.</p><p>We both pause, realizing the familiarity in our current conversation.</p><p>“Did we not argue about this before as well?” I ask after making this sudden realization.</p><p>“Yeah. We did.” Tom says with a slight smile. “Some things don’t change, huh?”</p><p>“No, no they do not….” I say with a slight smile as well.</p><p>The sun sets slowly as the wind blows swiftly through the empty streets once again and Tom and I turn our heads to look at the setting sun in another comfortable silence.</p><p>I glance over at Tom a couple times while his eye sockets are glued to the view. His hair is in its usual texture, but I noticed that over the years he has continued to wear his hair more in the front of his face, giving it a much more relaxed look as opposed to how protruding his hair was when we first met. His face is at peace as the light from the dimming sun caresses the sides of his face. It is nice. Seeing him like this is refreshing. I have not seen him this calm in a long time…I miss it.</p><p>“You feelin’ better?” Tom starts and looks back over to me, ripping me from my reminiscent thoughts.</p><p>“Yes, but why bring me here to do so?” I tilt my head at him and he laughs.</p><p>“Well, as I said, we both got lost a couple years back after having a huge fight—”</p><p>“Yes, the one you started.” I interject.</p><p>“It does not matter WHO started the fight.” Tom waves his finger at me.</p><p>“Yes, this is coming from the person who started said fight.” I grin at him and his smile drops as he continues.</p><p>“Either way!” Tom raises his voice slightly and continues talking again after lowering his volume back to how it was initially. “We had just had a fight, and the both of us were enraged with each other—”</p><p>“Well, you were angry, I was just annoyed.” I interject again earning another glare from Tom.</p><p>“EITHER WAY!” Tom raises his even louder than before and then continues talking at a more reasonable volume once again. “We were both fed up with each other and had somehow ended up in the same random part of town. After that, we talked for a bit and walked back to home together as if we had never had the fight to begin with.”</p><p>“So?” I ask, tilting my head again at him and Tom just gives me a simplistic smile as he did earlier.</p><p>“So, I thought getting us lost again would air out whatever tension was between us.” Tom’s smile drops a bit, and he gives me a concerned look. “I didn’t know why you were upset. I thought that it was maybe because of me, but I don’t know….” Tom shyly avoids my eyes by looking back towards the sunset.</p><p><i>“He is always like that…”</i> I say to myself and smirk. “Odd logic, but I guess it worked.” I shrug at him.</p><p>“Did it actually?” Tom’s jaw drops as he whips his head back towards me.</p><p>“Do not get full of yourself, it worked for reasons different from what you had in mind.” I say shaking my head at him.</p><p>“Well either way, it worked.” Tom sticks his tongue out at me immaturely, but I let it slide. “We should get going back though.” Tom adds after putting his tongue back.</p><p>“Yes, that would make the most sense, but…” I glare at Tom, waiting for him to take a hint at the current situation he has put us in.</p><p>“What?” He gives me a plain smile.</p><p>He clearly did not take the hint. </p><p>He can be so clueless sometimes, but I guess that is one of the things I like about him.</p><p>I sigh and raise my eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Nothing, let’s go back to the house.” I say with an obviously (but not-so-obvious-to-Tom) sarcastic smile.</p><p>“Yeah.” He says and we both take a couple steps further down the sidewalk until Tom stops. “Wait, how do we get back home from here?”</p><p>Finally, it clicked in his head that his entire goal was to get us lost, so it would make sense that neither of us know how to get back to the house. He is oblivious, but once again, I like that about him.</p><p>“How indeed? I wonder….” I just let Tom sit in his own stupidity for a couple seconds before he turns and confronts me.</p><p>“Yooooouuu, knew the whole time, didn’t you?” Tom deadpans at me.</p><p>“What, that we had no way of knowing how to get back to the house? Or that despite you bringing us here with a means to get us lost, you did not think of a way to get us back? Because I knew of both.”</p><p>“Shut up.” Tom holds his deadpanned expression as I return it with grin. Tom straightens his posture and rubs the back of his neck with a small groan. “Ugh, I guess I didn’t think that one through.” He sighs.</p><p>“Nope.” I add unnecessarily, making Tom throw me a glare.</p><p>“Don’t you have some sort of like GPS device or gadget that we could use?”</p><p>“Of course, I do. I make simple stuff like that all the time. Let’s just go back to the house and grab it so we can use it.” I say with a sarcastic tone that Tom, once again, does not pick up on.</p><p>“Okay, let’s go then.” We both start walking again until Tom stops in his tracks at the sudden realization of what I just said. “Oh, the house….”</p><p>“Yes, the house.” I give him a fake smile and a nod.</p><p>“Can’t you just say that you don’t have it on you?!” Tom crosses his arms and pouts.</p><p>“Oh, I am sorry, I just thought it was obvious that I would not have it, considering you dragged us out here so quick that neither of us were able to grab our phones, let alone a GPS transmitter!” I drop my smile give him a deadpanned look. “Why were we in such a rush anyway?”</p><p>“It seemed urgent….” Tom looks up shyly over my head.</p><p>“You are the crazy.” I snort and start walking again.</p><p>“It’s just “crazy”.” Tom calls back and starts walking behind me.</p><p>“What?” I turn back at him as he catches up to match my pace.</p><p>“It’s just “crazy”. Not “the crazy”.”</p><p>“Oh…...English is not my native tongue, you know this.” I avoid his consoling gaze and continue marching down the pathway.</p><p>“I do.” Tom hums with a stupid grin and says nothing else as the two of us carry on our walk in the direction to what we hope is the house.</p><p>At this point, all the repressed thoughts that clouding my head earlier had left, and all that filled my head was whatever dumb song Tom was humming to on the way back to the house.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for all of the lovely support! I appreciate every reader of this story, and I will try not to disappoint any readers. :D</p><p>Next chapter is a more lighthearted/funny one.</p><p> </p><p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Kitty Fight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Matt's TV time gets interrupted by Tom and Tord's little antics.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Rød</h1>
<p>After three hours of us walking around aimlessly through the streets of our town, we FINALLY make it back to the house and plunge our way through the front door.</p>
<p>“It took us thirty minutes to get there, HOW did it take us this long to get back.” Tom groans as he kicks off his shoes aggressively and I glare at him while taking mine off as well.</p>
<p>Matt is curled up on the sofa, with his legs under his hoodie, watching some random show about cats, and hears us bust into the house.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you guys were gone for hours!” He hollers from the sofa with his gaze still on the TV.</p>
<p>“That is because SOMEONE could not recall the street names that we took to get to wherever we were.” I maintain a hard glare at Tom.</p>
<p>“Why would I remember the street names, if the goal was to get LOST.” Tom snaps back.</p>
<p>“Why did we have to get lost?! If you took me anywhere, I would have felt better!” I yell back.</p>
<p>“Well, you—wait really?!” Tom’s face had dropped all irritation and was left completely baffled.</p>
<p>““Really” what?” I say and Matt slowly hides his head behind the sofa with a small smile curled up on his face.</p>
<p>“Anywhere would have made you feel better?” Tom perks his head at me suspiciously.</p>
<p>“Sure, why are you putting emphasis on this?”</p>
<p>“It’s just that, you never admitted to feeling upset in the first place.” A slow smile arises to his face.</p>
<p>“I—” I cut myself off and stare towards the ground.</p>
<p>Shit. I was trying to be discreet. It did not matter if Tom speculated my distress, just as long as I did not admit to it. However, now he knows for sure I was upset about something…</p>
<p>“What’s got you all upset?” Tom gives me a consoling but condescending smile.</p>
<p>“None of your business….” I avoid his gaze and I feel him walk closer.</p>
<p>“Come on, what’s got the almighty Tord so upset?” He chuckles and continues to approach me.</p>
<p>“Nothing! Leave me alone!” I yell back, but Tom just holds out his arms and plasters a giddy smile onto his face.</p>
<p>“Aww, Tord, come here.” The smile grows wider on his face. “You don’t need to tell me anything if you don’t want to, just let Uncle Tom comfort you a bit~” Tom holds out his arms wider for a hug and I recoil at the gesture.</p>
<p>“Ugh, “Uncle Tom”, I hate that.” I mumble to myself, cringing at the nickname he gave to himself. </p>
<p>“Fine…if that is how you want to play this….” I grit my teeth and smile at Tom maliciously and Tom’s smile drops. </p>
<p>“Of course you can comfort me Thomas~!” I holler out to him and pounce out at Tom into the air and right into his arms.</p>
<p>“Tord wait—!” Tom protests but it was too late. My arms were already wrapped around his head and my legs hugged his torso tightly.</p>
<p>Tom wobbles from the sudden action and the both of us freeze, clinging onto each other while we start to slowly tilt backwards as we begin to and realize how unbalanced our position was with all of the force I put into the leap.</p>
<p>Oh no.</p>
<p>“Timmmmmber!” Matt calls out from the sofa with his eyes still glued to the TV as he pops another piece of popcorn into his mouth.</p>
<p>Tom falls backward onto the ground as I fall forward holding onto his face, and both of our bodies smack onto the ground with a giant “THUD”.</p>
<p>Yeah, that did not go as planned…</p>
<p>“Tord, you dumbass…” Tom groans and I feel him look up from under my torso.</p>
<p>“Mm….” Is all I can say due to the fall colliding my face with the dense floor.</p>
<p>“Tord?!” Tom moves out from under me and quickly grabs me from the ground to sit me upright to look at him.</p>
<p>“Calm down, I am fine” I give him a drained but reassuring look.</p>
<p>“I-I’m not worried, if that’s what you are thinking?!” Tom blushes and I feel him tighten his grip on my waist.</p>
<p>Wait, my waist? Why is are his hands on my waist?</p>
<p>I look down at our position and see that we are most defiantly not in a “normal” position that two people who had just fallen on top of each other would be in.</p>
<p>Tom propped us both up to release my face from the ground, but my legs are still wrapped around him and had now shifted down his lower abdomen. I never let go of his neck throughout the fall as well, so my hands are now shifted to his shoulders.</p>
<p>Basically, I am straddling Tom with us both sitting upright on the ground and all I can think about is his how both of our groins are pushed up against one another with his adorable, flustered face staring right at me.</p>
<p>“Y-you’re bleeding Tord!” Tom says with slight worry in his voice as he gets closer to my face. “You must’ve hit your nose on the ground when we fell.” Tom starts to panic.</p>
<p>Tom’s voice pulls my focus off from all the erotic thoughts flooding my head and I feel a stream of blood come running down my face from my nose.</p>
<p>“….it is not from the fall.” I whisper with my eyes wide on our crouches, still in a sense of shock from our position and Tom’s sudden close-up to my face.</p>
<p>“What did you say?” Tom gives me a curious look.</p>
<p>“Nothing.” I continue to keep glancing over our position some more.</p>
<p>“Well…. let’s get you cleaned up.” Tom shifts over and I release my legs from their hold on him and we both stagger up from the ground. “Tord, pinch your nose and hold it down. I’ll get a couple tissues.”</p>
<p>I stand in the living room pinching my nose, listening to Matt crunching away at his popcorn as Tom runs off to the kitchen.</p>
<p>It is unlike me to get turned on so easily from a mere straddle position, but it feels like it has been centuries since Tom and I had any sort of physical contact like that. At that moment, my head just went straight to my dick and all I could think about is the idea of us fucking in the living room without Matt noticing.</p>
<p>Oh, how I hope dreams do come true.</p>
<p>A couple seconds pass by and Tom rushes back from the kitchen with a wad of tissues. He approaches me and lays one hand on my shoulder and holds the wad of tissues to my nose with the other hand.</p>
<p>“I can hold them myself, Thomas.” I give him a deadpanned expression and his face flushes pink as he quickly removes his hand from my shoulder and stuffs the wad of tissues into my hand.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah, I know that!” He nervously laughs and straightens his posture all cute and awkwardly. “Also, don’t call me Thomas! You know I hate that!” His face is still a bright shade of pink and I grin at him.</p>
<p>“Sorry, force of habit~.” I say with a wink and Tom groans.</p>
<p>“…it’s not like you would call me it that often to begin with.” I hear him mumble to himself and my grin only grows wider from under the wad of tissues.</p>
<p>“Hey! Can you two keep it down? I’m trying to watch “The Cats” here!” Matt yells at us from the sofa.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Matt.” Tom hollers back and then looks back at me. “You look stupid.” He says with a smirk.</p>
<p>“Shut up.” I reply with a glare and adjust the blood spotted tissues on my face.</p>
<p>Tom laughs and I march off to my room as Tom goes to the sofa to sit with Matt.</p>
<p>Once I enter my room, I pull the tissues from my face and toss them into the trashcan by my desk. The bleeding was light, so there was no need to hold onto them that long.</p>
<p>After that, I sit down at my desk and lean back in my chair with my hands stuffed into my pockets.</p>
<p>“How can I get him to play into my hands?” I sigh and glance over my anime figurines positioned on my desk.</p>
<p>Tom is slowly starting to warm up to me again, but how can I just close the gap completely? What can I do to get him to treat me like before?</p>
<p>At this point, time will only tell as to when Tom will start to open up to me more. However, after today, I am inclined to believe that goal may not be as far away as I thought it was…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tord is in denial about how easily he gets turned on.</p>
<p>This will not be the last you see of Tord’s nosebleeds…. ;&gt;</p>
<p>See you in the next one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. He Was "Re"-booted Out of the House</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally, Matt gets what he has been asking for...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>It was a normal Sunday afternoon and Edd and I are on the couch in the living room indulging in our own individual activities. I am focusing on my novel until I hear Edd grumbling to himself while drawing on his tablet.</p>
<p>“Ugh! This is so annoying!” Edd throws down his drawing tablet onto the couch in frustration.</p>
<p>“What?” I peek up from my book and look at him.</p>
<p>“All of the fans want me to start putting these two characters’ together, but it’s just not happening!” Edd pouts and throws up the hood to his sweatshirt over his head.</p>
<p>“I mean, it’s your series dude, but why not do it for the fan service?” I chime in.</p>
<p>“I could.” Edd contemplates this for a couple seconds then shakes his head. “No, no, no, the two characters HATE each other. Putting them together would make no sense.”</p>
<p>“Well, if the fans are shipping them so hard, then there must be SOMETHING going on between the two characters, right?” I add and Edd looks at me blankly, blinking his eyes a couple times before he starts squinting intently at me. “Did I say something wrong?” I say slightly tilting my head to the side.</p>
<p>“No, not at all.” Edd drops his hood from his head and slowly grabs his tablet off from the couch to start fidgeting with it.</p>
<p>I just shrug off the obviously suspicious response and continue reading my “How to Pretend You’re Reading” Novel. It’s actual very well written.</p>
<p>The both of us continue our task for a while until we hear a shriek from the hallway.</p>
<p>“IT’S AWFUL!!!” We hear Matt scream throughout the halls of the house, making Edd and I whip our heads to the hallway opening. We then look at each other in concern until we start to hear quickened footsteps emerge from the hallway.</p>
<p>Matt comes sprinting into the living room and hops over the couch and clings onto me tightly.</p>
<p>“HELP MEEEE!!!!!!!!” Matt tightens his grip making me lose all air left in my lungs.</p>
<p>“…….M-Matt, let g-go-” I choke out before Edd questions Matt’s behavior.</p>
<p>“Matt, what’s wrong?” Edd says with a confused look.</p>
<p>Matt tightens his grip further and I start to gag.</p>
<p>“Torddy…. he…. he...” Matt whines with tears swelling to his face.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong with Tord, Matt?” Edd asks Matt in a more concerned tone.</p>
<p>“…he made…a MONSTER!” Matt cries out into my ear and tightens his grip.</p>
<p>“I only did what you told me to.” Tord appears from the hallway with a remote in his hand and Matt yelps into my ear again, just at the sight of Tord.</p>
<p>Following Tord came a little dancing robot. The robot was about a foot tall and had orange printed hair on its head and wore mini purple hoodie with a mini green jacket over it, paired with some tiny blue jeans.</p>
<p>It was clearly a “Mini Matt” robot.</p>
<p>“Oh, Tord! You actually made the robot!” Edd claps excitedly. “Matt, that’s so sweet of Tord!”</p>
<p>“NO HE DIDN’T!” Matt shouts out in my ear again and I feel my eardrum bust open. “It’s…its…ITS HIDEOUS! It doesn’t look like me at all!” Matt cries and I feel myself start to slip out of consciousness from Matt’s tightened grip.</p>
<p>“Matt, let Tom go. He’s starting to black out.” Edd adds casually.</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry lad.” Matt finally let’s go of me and I start coughing aggressively.</p>
<p>“Y-you were (*cough*) freaking out (*cough*) (*cough*) over a fucking robot of yourself?!” I say still trying to catch my breath.</p>
<p>“That THING, is not me! I am way more beautiful than that THING!” Matt points at the robot dismissively.</p>
<p>From what I could see through my blurred vision, the robot was not as bad as Matt was making it seem. It had the same color scheme as Matt and it was obvious to see that it was supposed to be Matt, but the face did look a bit, distorted. The chin was much larger than it should have been, and the eyes did look a tad bit…demonic. Sure, it did not look exactly like him, but I’m pretty sure Tord did that on purpose just to mess with him. Regardless, it IS a “Mini Matt” robot, it just doesn’t reach Matt’s standards to what he had envisioned it to be.</p>
<p>“I don’t know Matt, it looks quite like you, I think” Edd says sarcastically and tilts his head while squinting at the little dancing robot. “It’s quite cute actually.” He adds.</p>
<p>“See, I told you Matt, it looks just like you.” Tord adds as well.</p>
<p>“No, it certainly does not!” Matt slams his fist on my head aggressively.</p>
<p>“Ouch!” I shout back in pain from the impact.</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry lad.” Matt says with zero sincerity and continues on his rant. “That thing is a monstrosity! Kill it now!”</p>
<p>“I am not going to “kill” it.” Tord deadpans at Matt. “You asked me to make it, and I made it, why are you upset?” Tord asks shaking his head at Matt.</p>
<p>“I asked you to make ME! Not some crack-headed, bootleg copy!” Matt overdramatically exclaims.</p>
<p>“So, you admit it’s you then?” Edd interjects with a sly grin.</p>
<p>“No! I said “copy” because Torddy made that thing with ME in mind, how rude!” Matt pouts and slams his fist on my head again.</p>
<p>“OUCH!” I shout back again even louder than the first hit.</p>
<p>“Sorry lad.” Matt says with as much lack of sincerity as the first time.</p>
<p>If he hits me one more time….</p>
<p>“Well, either way, you asked Tord to make it, so here you go!” Edd gestures his hands towards the robot.</p>
<p>“No! Torddy make another one, this one’s all wrong!” Matt points at the robot while Tord lights a cigarette.</p>
<p>“You should be grateful that I made this one.” Tord takes and exhale from the cigarette. “This took a lot of time to make, you know.”</p>
<p>“Yeah right.” I snort and throw a sly glance at Tord and he smirks back at me.</p>
<p>Tord is a perfectionist and can make some of the most complex things I have ever seen. If he really wanted to, he could have made a whole army of these robots in a week’s time with ease. This robot could have been more accurate to what Matt wanted, but Tord just wanted to give Matt a hard time and troll him a bit.</p>
<p>“It’s your fault for making a bad one in the first place!” Matt screams out into my ear again. “If you had just made it look like ME from the beginning, then you wouldn’t have had to make another!”</p>
<p>“Matt, calm down, it’s not as bad as you think.” Edd gestures at Matt to relax. “I mean, look how cute it is dancing like that!” Edd points over to the robot.</p>
<p>The robot was bouncing up and down and waving its arms just like the dancing hotdog meme. I’m guessing that dance is the coding Tord used for the robot. It’s <strike>cute</strike> funny to think of Tord programing THAT dance of all dances into the robot.</p>
<p>“No, it’s gross! Make me another!” Matt pounds his fist on my head again and I snap.</p>
<p>“MATT!” I scream and rip him off from me, flipping him onto the floor next to the mini robot.</p>
<p>“AH!” Matt shrieks in fear and crawls back to the couch to cling back onto me with more force than before.</p>
<p>“You….” I curse at Matt under my breath.</p>
<p>“Matt, you’re overreacting.” Edd puts his hands on his hips and gives Matt at disappointed look.</p>
<p>“No, I’m not! It’s disgusting!” Matt exclaims into my ear and stuffs himself behind me, into the couch.</p>
<p>“Well, do what you want with it. My work here is done.” Tord takes another puff from his cigarette and walks to the hallway towards his room.</p>
<p>“Wait, Torddy!” Matt flings his arm from the couch and reaches for Tord as he exits.</p>
<p>“I should be leaving as well. I have some…editing….to do for the series. Enjoy the robot Matt!” Edd says suspiciously while he waves Matt and I off and follows behind Tord down the hallway.</p>
<p>“Edd!” Matt whines and clings to my arm.</p>
<p>“What?” I ask and look at him behind me as he flashes me the most exaggerated puppy-dog eyes.</p>
<p>“You won’t leave me, will you Tom?” His eyes are big and pleading.</p>
<p>“This is awkward….” I say and slowly slip out from his grasp and rise up from the couch earning a gasp from Matt.</p>
<p>“Tom! Wait! Please, don’t leave me with that thing!” Matt points at the robot and I look back at him before leaving to my room as well.</p>
<p>“Don’t let it push your buttons too much, Matt.” I wave him off.</p>
<p>“YOU’RE NOT FUNNY!” Matt whines out and I snicker off to my room.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>The night rolls in and after working on some sketches in my room for a couple hours, I decide to head over to the kitchen for a snack. As I exit my room to the living room, the mini robot is nowhere in sight and I proceed to grab a bag of crisp from the pantry and finish them up in the kitchen before heading back to my room.</p>
<p>On my way back I see Tord on his phone walking down the hallway with a cigarette hanging out from his mouth.</p>
<p>“Hey.” I wave at him awkwardly and he nods back. “Where’s the robot, I didn’t see it in the living room. Did Matt actually keep it?”</p>
<p>“Nope.” Tord says plainly. “He destroyed it. The remains are in the trash.” Tord shrugs and takes a long drag from his cigarette.</p>
<p>“Aww, “rust” in peace poor fella.” I say with an exaggerated sad tone.</p>
<p>“Pfft, stupid.” Tord nudges my arm and we both let out a chuckle at my dumb joke.</p>
<p>“That sucks though, you made it just for him, and he destroys it.” I shake my head disappointedly.</p>
<p>“Eh, I made it out of old scraps, so it costs me nothing.” Tord shrugs casually. “Plus, now hopefully he stops bugging me about making it now.”</p>
<p>“Or he’ll keep pestering you to make a new one that’s more “accurate”.” I smirk and Tord sighs.</p>
<p>“Yes, I would not be surprised.” He shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Matt was really overreacting though.” I add.</p>
<p>“When is he not?” Tord shakes his head again.</p>
<p>“True.” I lean onto the wall of the hallway and start to analyze our past history with Matt. “Yeah, he messed with you a lot when we first met.” I chuckle.</p>
<p>“Tell me about it….” Tord lets out a drained sigh and leans onto the wall next to me.</p>
<p>“Did it ever bother you?” I turn my head towards him.</p>
<p>“Duh. Of course, it did.” Tord sighs again. “You just get used to it though.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, unfortunately you do.” I sigh out as well.</p>
<p>“At least nowadays, if you tune him out long enough, he will lose interest.” Tord adds.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s true.” I nod my head in agreeance. “When we were younger, he wouldn’t leave you alone unless you gave him all of your undivided attention when he spoke.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I would have much preferred to give my attention to someone else.” Tord turns his head towards mine and I feel a blush run to my face.</p>
<p>“Shut up.” I turn my head away from him.</p>
<p>“But I never said “who”.” He adds.</p>
<p>“You didn’t have to.” I add back.</p>
<p>Tord grins and shifts his head back to stare at another random spot on the wall across from us.</p>
<p>“Do you always have to say stuff like that?” I ask, not really expecting much of an answer.</p>
<p>“You rather us fight? Like before?” Tord raises an eyebrow at me and I look off to the side.</p>
<p>“No…I just don’t understand why you have to say the flirty stuff.”</p>
<p>“I say what I want, is that a problem?” He cocks an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>“Yeah actually.” I turn my head to him again. “If you keep saying whatever you want all of the time, you’re going to get your ass kicked, again.”</p>
<p>“That was so long ago!” Tord waves his hand. “That would never happen to me now.”</p>
<p>“That’s what you think.” I smirk. “Either way, I’ll come to your rescue again when that time comes.”</p>
<p>“Whatever…” Tord pouts and looks at the floor as I ruffle his hair.</p>
<p>“It’s late, we should get to bed.” I say and prop myself off from the wall.</p>
<p>“The same one?” Tord looks to me with child-like eyes.</p>
<p>“Mmmm no.” I say with a plain smile.</p>
<p>“Fine.” Tord clicks his tongue and props himself from the wall. “That bear is a lucky one….” Tord mumbles and starts to walk off towards his room.</p>
<p>Tord is referring to Tomee Bear. It’s my childhood stuffed bear that I have kept with me throughout the years. I’m not quite sure how I ever acquired Tomee Bear, he’s just kind of always been there. Either way, I’ve always had him and I’m not giving him away nor throwing him away, so deal with it.</p>
<p>“Hey, I don’t sleep with him anymore. I am a grown man; I don’t need him anymore.” I lie defensively of my childhood toy bear.</p>
<p>“Oh, so you got rid of it?” Tord looks back at me.</p>
<p>“No, I just don’t SLEEP with him anymore.” I put my hands on my hips proudly and Tord snorts.</p>
<p>“Okay so, if we go into your room right now, Tomee Bear won’t be lying on your bed next to your pillow?” Tord turns to me and crosses his arms.</p>
<p>“U-uh yeah.” I say hesitantly, not knowing where I last placed Tomee Bear, so he could very well still be by my pillow.</p>
<p>“Let’s go then.” Tord gestures his head to my door and I swallow hard.</p>
<p>“S-sure.” I stutter.</p>
<p>I have a bad feeling about this…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tom made the mistake of letting Tord into his room...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Bear Complex</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom makes the mistake of letting Tord into his room...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>We both reach my bedroom door and Tord taps his foot impatiently behind me as I try and stall further before entry.</p>
<p>“Wow, the paint job on the door is just exquisite! Don’t you think?” I laugh nervously and point at the door.</p>
<p>“Yes, it is.” Tord smirks. “We should see how it looks on the other side as well.”</p>
<p>“Haha, right….”</p>
<p>Fuck. I have to stall more.</p>
<p>To be completely honest, I have indeed stopped sleeping with Tomee Bear……as often as I did before.</p>
<p>Okay! I still sleep with him from time to time! He’s a comfort piece for me......don’t judge! Tord knows this too! He just wants to have another excuse to make fun of me, that jerk. I can’t remember if I slept with Tomee Bear last night or not, so I am trying to stall until I come up with some excuse as to why he may be by my pillow. </p>
<p>Wait a minute.</p>
<p>Tord still remembers where I would keep Tomee Bear? I know Edd and Matt do, but that is because we live together, and they didn’t disappear for a whole eight years. I just think it’s interesting that Tord still remembers that I like having him by my pillow….</p>
<p>I hesitantly crack open my door and pause to look back at Tord who is losing more and more of his patience.</p>
<p>“Are you going to open it or what?” Tord squints at me.</p>
<p>“Well…it’s just…Tord?” I wince at him.</p>
<p>“What?” He says in a slightly less irritated tone.</p>
<p>“Don’t make fun of me too much…” Before he can respond I open the door to my room and let us both in to find out the truth on the placement of Tomee Bear.</p>
<p>The both of us look straight to my bed by my pillow to see that Tomee Bear, was indeed not there.</p>
<p>“Thank God! Ha! I told you I don’t sleep with him anymore!” I point at Tord in the face provokingly. “In your face!”</p>
<p>“That is not what it sounded like a couple seconds ago.” He squints at me.</p>
<p>“Ha! I was just trying to trick you! I told you, I am a grown man and don’t need a stuffed animal to sleep with every night—wait! Where is Tomee Bear then?!” I stop rubbing my victory in Tord’s face and whip my head around my bedroom, trying to find where my beloved bear had gone.</p>
<p>“Why does it matter?” Tord snorts. “If you do not sleep with it anymore, then why are you trying to find it? You claim you do not need it anymore.” Tord asks in an obvious attempt to turn the tables on me, and it works.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but my Tomee Bear!” I whine and start to pace around my room, tearing the place apart in order to find my treasured bear.</p>
<p>“Yes, the true words of an “adult”. Tord scoffs as I continue to tear apart my room.</p>
<p>In the corner of my eye, I see Tord stride over to my bed and reach from under the covers by my pillow and pull Tomee Bear out from underneath.</p>
<p>“Tomee Bear!” I rush across the room towards my bear and Tord, but soon feel my face burn bright red after seeing Tord pull Tomee Bear from under the covers.</p>
<p>“Classic, stupid, Tom!” Tord chuckles to himself. “Not only was the bear almost in plain sight, but because it was in your bed, that would imply that you DID sleep with it last night.”</p>
<p>“Shut up.” I retort and snatch Tomee Bear from Tord’s clutches. I glare at Tord as he laughs. “It’s not funny.” I glare back at him.</p>
<p>“Yes, it is.” Tord hums. “You always have that bear with you. I do not care if you have it, nor do the other guys, so why try and pretend you do not need it?”</p>
<p>“It’s not that, it’s just…I don’t know.” I sigh to myself feeling defeated. “How did you still remember where I would keep him?” I ask trying to change topics while also satisfying my curiosity in his statement from earlier.</p>
<p>“Of course, I remember. That damn bear took my spot next to you in bed numerous times.” Tord scowls at the bear. “When we were in bed, you would push me aside sometimes just because you wanted room to cuddle with it. It’s not even that big!” Tord points to Tomee Bear angerly. “Why would you push me off the bed for such a little thing?” Tord is getting genuinely upset from a stuffed bear (I am not one to talk though).</p>
<p>“I didn’t want him to feel jealous that I was holding him while you were in the bed.” I shrug, giving a feigned answer. In actuality, whenever Tord would crash in my room, he would get too clingy, so I would use Tomee Bear as an excuse for him to back off.</p>
<p>“Well congratulations, you made me jealous instead, stupid bear…” Tord pouts.</p>
<p>“Ha! You’re jealous of a stuffed bear!” I point at Tord provokingly and chuckle out loud.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I am.” Tord admits and quickly turns the tables back on me. “I want you to cuddle me instead.”</p>
<p>“Haha—what?” I choke and Tord smirks at me in my loss of words.</p>
<p>“You would hold that bear so tightly, nuzzle against it, and even kiss it sometimes.” Tord sighs dramatically. “I would always wish that was me instead…”</p>
<p>My face flushes pink again, and I nervously start to clear my throat to try and recollect my nerves.</p>
<p>“Um, well, that’s unfortunate.” I mutter out.</p>
<p>“Yes, it is.” Tord picks up his crestfallen expression and gazes over at me. “Well, you could cuddle with me tonight to make up for it.” The motives behind his words were very clear despite the innocent look painted on his face.</p>
<p>“Yeah, no.” I say blankly.</p>
<p>“Only cuddling, nothing else.” Tord tries to further his “innocent” expression but of course I don’t fall for it.</p>
<p>“Yeah right, you always have sex on the brain. That’s all you think about, ya filthy perv.” I give him a disgusted face, hoping he would feel ashamed in his intentions, but knowing him, he of course just takes my remark as a complement instead because that’s just Tord for you.</p>
<p>“That just means I’m happy all of the time.” Tord smiles and crosses his arms. “But you wouldn’t know what that’s like.” He shakes his head disappointingly. </p>
<p>“No, I just don’t need to have sex on my brain twenty-four/seven to achieve such.”</p>
<p>“Your loss.” He continues to shake his head.</p>
<p>“Does that mean you’re ALWAYS horny?” I regretfully ask based off his prior response.</p>
<p>“Yes, what of it?” Tord shrugs casually and I stare loosely at him. “Do not act surprised, you know this.”</p>
<p>“I’m not, but I just think it’s odd to always have it on your mind. How do you even function?” I ask with genuine curiosity.</p>
<p>“Just fine.” He shrugs again. “It is just second nature at this point.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you watch Hentai so casually, do you even get off to it anymore?”</p>
<p>“It depends. I usually just watch it to appreciate the art.” He shrugs.</p>
<p>“There is no “art” in that stuff, Tord.” I give him another disgusted look.</p>
<p>“Say what you will about it, but it is not something I get off to as often as others may think.” Tord rolls his eyes as this is not this first time someone has critiqued his Hentai addiction. </p>
<p>“Trust me, I believe you.” I nod my head and agree as Tord does watch/read A LOT of Hentai, but he does it literally anywhere at any time of day.</p>
<p>In all honesty, I don’t think I have ever confirmed him jerking off to it. I know he does, but very rarely. He enjoys it for what it is and that’s all. It wouldn’t be as much of a problem if he didn’t watch/read it so often for so long. Now, because that’s all he ever indulges in, he is just always thinking about sex. I can’t even feel bad for him though, he chose that life and seems rather proud of it too.</p>
<p>“Exactly, there are plenty of other things that I get off to.” Tord says casually once again. He always talks about this stuff so openly…</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah I don’t want to hear about your weird kinks.”</p>
<p>“My kinks are normal; they only get out of sorts when you are put into the picture.” He says with full honesty.</p>
<p>“Oh, so you only go “kink crazy” with me?” I scoff.</p>
<p>“Yes.” He says with a small smile curling to his lips.</p>
<p>“You’re disgusting.” I squint at him.</p>
<p>“It’s your fault for being so sexy.” He retorts and my face instantly flushes pink.</p>
<p>“N-no, you just have no self-control.” I try and keep my voice straight.</p>
<p>“Normally I would say the same, but with you, everything is just hotter.” He shrugs.</p>
<p>I can tell he is not saying this to mess with. He has always been so open about this stuff; it would be odd for me to NOT believe him. It just makes me uncomfortable how he talks about this stuff with such ease.</p>
<p>“Haha, what you get horny over every little thing I do?” I tease.</p>
<p>“Yes.” He gives me causal nod. “I masturbate to a lot of simple things you do. Hell, I jerk off just at the thought of hearing of your voice.”</p>
<p>
  <b>Um, what?</b>
</p>
<p>“What.” My eyes widen, and I stare at Tord in shock from what I just heard exit his mouth.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I did it over the phone last week when you asked me what I wanted from the store.” He says nonchalantly and shoves his hands into his hoodie pocket.</p>
<p>
  <b>wHaT?</b>
</p>
<p>He has to be kidding. He is just saying this to mess with me, right?</p>
<p>“But why?” I ask with regret and still horrified in what more horrendous information might be released from him.</p>
<p>“Because it’s you.” Tord’s face is straight. “I did it a lot in the past, and I just picked it up again.” He says casually with a shrug. “I had not heard your voice in years, so when I recently started hearing it again, I would get hard so quick.”</p>
<p>Oh god, he’s serious.</p>
<p>“T-Tord, you…”</p>
<p>“What?” He asks and looks at me as if he hadn’t just said anything out of the ordinary.</p>
<p>“Leave. I can’t trust you in here.” I point out to the door and hold Tomee Bear to my chest protectively.</p>
<p>“What? What do you think I am going to do? I am not going jerk off right here and now, unless you want me to?” Tord gives me a seductive look. “You know it would be nice to get off to your voice in person~.”</p>
<p>“Leave.” I keep my finger pointed at the door as my face fumes pink in response to Tord’s horny fantasy.</p>
<p>“No cuddle?” Tord asks innocently and I give him a hard glare. “Okay, I will go, whatever.” Tord waves me off as he makes his way out of the door and I shut it behind him.</p>
<p>After kicking Tord out, I look at Tomee Bear still in shock in Tord’s confession.</p>
<p>
  <i>“My voice…?”</i>
</p>
<p>I get chills just thinking about the “numerous” amounts of times Tord has gotten off to…my voice. Just my voice alone can get him off?</p>
<p>I shake my head and try and delete this unwanted fact from my brain and slump onto my bed. I hold Tomee Bear up to my face and nestle against him as I try and sleep off the conversation that just occurred.</p>
<p>“He’s the one with the sexy accent…” I mutter to myself as I drift off to what was supposed to be a “peaceful” sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter is a sad one :(</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. When Will I See You Again?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom’s dream entailed a memory that he is not too fond of…</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>“So long….old friends.” Tord waves off to Edd and Matt.</p>
<p>“I’m not your friend.” I say crossing my arms across my chest.</p>
<p>Edd, Matt, and I are all out on the lawn outside, while Tord is finishing packing up his “Nør5ki” tagged car with his belongings.</p>
<p>I woke up this morning to Edd shaking my hungover ass in bed to tell me that Tord was leaving. I couldn’t quite process it at that time, but it’s been thirty minutes since then and it’s starting to hit me hard...</p>
<p>
  <i>“Why couldn’t he tell me himself?”</i>
</p>
<p>Tord finishes waving Edd and Matt off and he looks back from his car and stares at me for a couple seconds in response to my comment.</p>
<p>Then, he turns back to his car, and gets in without saying a single word.</p>
<p>“Asshole.” I choke under my breath trying not to cry since the other guys were standing just a couple feet away.</p>
<p>After the three of us chat outside for a bit, we all head inside to our individual quarters within the house with an awkward silence reeking the air.</p>
<p>As soon as I close the door behind me after entering my room all of my lingering thoughts after Tord’s leaving flood to my head.</p>
<p>
  <i>“Why are you leaving?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Where are you going?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Can’t you even say "bye" to me?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <strike>“When will I see you again?”</strike>
  </i>
</p>
<p>I slide down the back of my door and tears instantly start running down my face without permission.</p>
<p>I try and hold them back, but they just keep flowing, so eventually I just give up and hide my face into my knees and start to weep silently.</p>
<p>Why am I so upset? He’s always been an asshole, so why the hell am I so upset? This is expected of Tord. He always moves on his own schedule. I just don’t get why he didn’t tell me he was leaving…</p>
<p>He apparently didn’t tell Edd and Matt either until day of. Edd said this with a sad expression earlier while we were chatting out on the lawn. </p>
<p>What a fucking dick! I hope he feels bad about this, making Edd that upset when he values their friendship so much. I hate him. I hate that asshole so much.</p>
<p>Wow, I’m here cursing Tord’s name and yet he’s the same guy who has me on the floor bawling my eyes out wondering if he’s going to come back.</p>
<p>He may be a dick, but I’m the one left hurt in the end.</p>
<p>“Asshole…” I whimper into the sleeve of my blue hoodie and cry myself to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ಥ◡ಥ</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Rise and Fucking Shine I Guess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Remembering Tord's leaving eight years ago has left Tom in a bad mood, too bad his roommates couldn't take the hint. It's a good thing Tord was there to help out.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>The funny thing is, I never blamed Tord for leaving me. I blamed myself. I would think to myself: “Wow, he really must really hate me if he were going to leave me so abruptly like that”. This had to be why he left without uttering one word to me. When Tord left, Edd told me that Tord had a dream that he needed to see through, but what dream was so important that he would never tell me about it? He just left without a warning or a reason, he left me as if we barely knew each other, as if we didn’t mean anything to each other. He meant the world to me, but I guess I didn’t mean that much to him if he was going to leave so easily.</p>
<p>I cursed him for so long, but in actuality, I hated myself. I hated myself for letting him leave. I talk so much shit about him leaving me, but I didn’t even try to stop him. If he truly meant something to me, then I would’ve stopped him. When Tord came back I projected my anger onto him. I was/still am mad at him for his leaving and at his treatment towards me since his’ coming back, but if Tord is guilty for leaving the way he did, then I am just as guilty for letting him go.</p>
<p>He’s awful, but so am I.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>I prop myself off from my bed and a strong gloom hangs over my shoulders. That dream brought up a whole bunch of repressed feelings and emotions I didn’t want to have to face today. I can feel myself getting irrationally irritated and that’s just no good. I don’t want to lash out on the other guys for what seems like no reason to them. I have to get out of here and air out my head.</p>
<p>I leap out from my bed and take a long stretch before I start to make my way over to the shower down the hall. I grab a change of clothes and walk over to the door, making my exit to the bathroom. Once I enter the bathroom, I start to de-clothe and hop into the shower.</p>
<p>The warm water pelting my skin felt almost euphoric for me. The hot air and steam were so therapeutic, and it gave me hope of leaving the house without lashing out on anyone for no reason. My head was clearing up as I washed myself, giving my brain a task to distract myself from my repressed thoughts. Afterwards, I slip out from the shower and start drying myself off before throwing on some black, ripped skinny jeans and a solid black tee shirt with a checkered print lining the collar. Once I was fully dressed, I started to make my way out from the bathroom, throwing my old clothes out in the hamper on my way out. Upon exiting, I walk into Tord approaching the bathroom as I was leaving.</p>
<p>“Morgen.” Tord waves.</p>
<p>“Morning…” I say rather quietly, feeling as if I shouldn’t talk to him while I am this prone to be riled up.</p>
<p>“You are leaving somewhere?” Tord asks with his gaze off to the side.</p>
<p>“What makes you say that?” I ask with a head tilt.</p>
<p>“You took a shower this early when you would normally be asleep, and normally if you are up at this time, you would go to the kitchen first for breakfast rather than bathe.” He picks his gaze off the ground and stares back at me. “It is odd for you to bathe without eating first.”</p>
<p>Wow, he really knows my routine….</p>
<p>“Well, yeah I was going to go out for a bit.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Tord shrugs and doesn’t press any more questions as he just brushes past me to get to the bathroom.</p>
<p>That was easier than I thought? I don’t know why but that interaction felt a bit, bizarre? I thought he would press me on where I was going, or at least ask why I was going where I was, but no, he didn’t really ask that much. Maybe he did actually feel awkward about me exposing his kinks? </p>
<p>How odd.</p>
<p>Shrugging off the little interaction Tord and I just had, I make my way to my room to grab my wallet, keys, and flask and start to make my way to the front door in hopes of not bumping into anyone else. Unfortunately, I was not that lucky….</p>
<p>“Hey Tom!” Matt waves at me from the kitchen as I am stopped in my tracks in the foyer.</p>
<p>Of course, its Matt…</p>
<p>“Hey Matt.” I say flatly and proceed to look for my checkered shoes in the piles of shoes on the floor by the doorway.</p>
<p>“Where you off to, lad?” Matt strides out from the kitchen to my direction.</p>
<p>“Nowhere important.” I can feel myself already getting annoyed just by the fact that Matt had stopped me before hitting the doorway.</p>
<p>“What? You have to be going somewhere important if you’re up to leave this early.” Matt crosses his arms at me.</p>
<p>It’s only noon, I don’t sleep in that long. If I am hungover, then yes, I can see this being unusual. But I’m not, I’m sober, and this can be an appropriate time of leaving for me if I so desire it to be.</p>
<p>Damn, I’m getting irritated.</p>
<p>“Whatever.” I find one of my checkered shoes and throw it on and start quickly looking for my other shoe before Matt keeps hounding on me with any more questions.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” Matt asks with an odd (well odd for him) worrisome tone.</p>
<p>“Sure.” I reply quickly again, still looking for my shoe.</p>
<p>“Are you going to the bar?” Matt asks with the same worry in his voice.</p>
<p>“So what?” I shoot back at him.</p>
<p>Damn, where the hell is my shoe?</p>
<p>“Just stay home, we have alcohol here.” Matt offers weakly but I wave dismissively at him.</p>
<p>“Nope, bar’s got better booze.”</p>
<p>Matt pauses and just stares at me while I look for my shoe.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you tend to get angry after getting back from the bar….”</p>
<p>“Would you rather me get angry staying here?” I snap back at him again.</p>
<p>“No, it’s just that…” He looks to the ground and fiddles with his fingers.</p>
<p>“Whatever.” I brush him off and squat down to the floor throwing shoe after shoe in search for mine until I hear steps approaching from the hallway behind me.</p>
<p>“Tom, you’re going to the bar? This early?” Edd says hovering over me.</p>
<p>“They’re open are they not?” I retort still shuffling through shoes.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you need to go.” He replies with a slight irritation in his voice.</p>
<p>“Since when were you my mother? I can go wherever I want.” I reply sharply, causing Edd to frown.</p>
<p>“Okay.” Edd sighs. “But you shouldn’t leave without your other shoe.” He says in a baiting tone.</p>
<p>I turn my head up to see Edd tossing my checkered shoe up and down in his hand playfully.</p>
<p>“Edd, give me my shoe.” My voice gets low and I give him a hard glare.</p>
<p>“Only if you don’t go to the bar.” Edd says with a soft smile.</p>
<p>What the hell? I am leaving the house because I DON’T want to lash out at them, but here they are, inciting me and literally asking for it. I’m doing THEM a favor by leaving. Do they like it when I’m upset or something?</p>
<p>“Get blowed, and hand me my shoe, Edd.” I hold out my hand and try to suppress any and all anger arising from this conversation.</p>
<p>“No!” Edd stops tossing it and clenches it. “Whenever you go to the bar, WE are the one’s always dragging you back! Stay home if you’re going to drink, it’s safer here for you and us.”</p>
<p>“Edd…. stop being an ass and give me my shoe.” My patience has almost completely checked out of the building. If this conversation keeps up, I know I am going to blow my top.</p>
<p>“Tom, just stay home I’ll even buy you some booze from the store.” Matt chimes in almost as if he were pleading me not to go.</p>
<p>Now I know something is up if Matt of all people is offering to buy me booze. Hell, we wouldn’t buy anything for anyone besides himself. He must be desperate to not let me go out drinking, but it is my choice to do so. What the hell is everyone’s problem?</p>
<p>“No, Edd give me my shoe.” I reply flatly to Matt and hold out my hand towards Edd again.</p>
<p>“Tom, no! You’re staying home! We don’t want anything bad to happen. We’re worried about you.” Edd gives me a worried look and Matt walks up behind him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Tom we don’t want you drinking like you did when Torddy left…”</p>
<p>I snap.</p>
<p>“CUT THE CRAP EDD AND GIVE ME MY SHOE! I do NOT want to be here if you guys are acting like this today!”</p>
<p>They both look at each other and stand their ground.</p>
<p>“No.” Edd says with a stern tone. “I don’t want my friend to get into any trouble.”</p>
<p>“Edd, I need to go!”</p>
<p>“You don’t NEED to go! You can stay here!”</p>
<p>Edd and I both start yelling at each other as Matt starts to look visibly upset at the spat. I hate putting him in the middle of this stuff, but he asked for it and so did Edd. I am trying to leave to make their lives easier. All they have to do is just leave me be and let me solve my own problems my way. I’m a fucking adult, I don’t need them babysitting me! They choose to pull me from the bar when I’m black-out drunk, I never ask for their help, they take it upon themselves to get me.</p>
<p>“Give me my shoe!” I shout back at him.</p>
<p>“No, because you’re staying home!” Edd snaps back.</p>
<p>“Give him his shoe, Edd.” A voice from the hallway interjects, making all three of us turn our heads in the direction of the voice towards the hallway’s entrance.</p>
<p>There was Tord, leaning on the wall-frame of the hallway, looking as disinterested as ever.</p>
<p>“Tord no, he will act up if he leaves.” Edd replies sternly at Tord.</p>
<p>“So?” Tord tilts his head at Edd.</p>
<p>“So?! Tord, he is going to get himself hurt with the way he acts at the bar.” Edd throws his hands up in frustration.</p>
<p>“That is his problem. You cannot stop him if he wishes to go.” Tord crosses his arms and leans further onto the entrance frame of the hallway.</p>
<p>“I don’t want my friend getting hurt.” Edd pleas to Tord.</p>
<p>“Neither does he, that’s probably what he is leaving in the first place.” Tord gestures his head towards me.</p>
<p>How does he…?</p>
<p>Could Tord tell I was upset earlier? Is that why he kept our conversation from earlier brief?</p>
<p>“Tord…he...” Edd starts but stops looking defeated.</p>
<p>Tord props himself off from the wall-frame and walks up to Edd, holding his hand out to him.</p>
<p>“Give me the shoe.” Tord says with a stern voice and Edd hesitantly complies. “Thanks.” Tord says lazily and pivots to me as he holds my shoe out to me and I stare at it for a couple seconds before taking it from him.</p>
<p>“Tom…” Matt pleas and I avoid his gaze.</p>
<p>“I’m out of here.” I toss my shoe onto the ground and slip it on, then I turn sharply and pace to the door before Edd grabs my arm.</p>
<p>“Tom, please don’t go. Can we talk out whatever is bothering you? We can help!” Edd pleas and at this point I am too frustrated with the overall situation to give a calm response.</p>
<p>“Let go of me and mind your own fucking business.”</p>
<p>“You are my business, we’re friends!” Edd tightens his grip and pulls me back. I try and shake off his hold on me, but he just tightens his grip. I glare at him while just continues to stand his ground.</p>
<p>“EDD LET GO!” I snap again and try to shake him off harder, but to no prevail again.</p>
<p>“No! Tom, you’re going to hurt yourself!” He pleas. “Let’s just—!”</p>
<p>As soon as these words leaves Edd’s mouth, he instantly curls over in pain and releases his grasp on me to hold onto his stomach.</p>
<p>“Torddy!” Matt shrieks and I whip my head to see that Tord had hooked Edd and the stomach.</p>
<p>Tord then grabs me by the arm and drags me out of the house through the front door. Tord has me by the wrist as we burst out from the house slamming the door behind us.</p>
<p>My mind’s gone numb, and I’m lost in the thought behind Tord’s sudden actions as he drags me down the street. We pace down a couple blocks from the house before finally stopping at one of the crosswalks.</p>
<p>We both just stand there on the sidewalk for a couple of seconds catching our breaths, before I look over to see Tord looking down towards the ground.</p>
<p>“Why did you—?”</p>
<p>“You both were getting mad.” Tord cuts me off. “You are too stubborn to just comply with them, especially when you’re mad. It made the most sense to just get you out of there as soon as possible.” Tord says quickly while keeping his eyes glued to the ground.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you didn’t have to punch Edd like that.” I add, keeping my eyes glued to Tord as he continues to avoid my gaze.</p>
<p>“Did you have a better idea?” He sighs and I just laugh.</p>
<p>“Haha, not really.” I smile back at Tord while ruffling his hair. “Well damn, we’re in for it when we get back.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Tord sighs and picks up his head to look at me. “You get going to the bar, I’ll get back and try and simmer things down at the house.”</p>
<p>A sharp pang runs through my chest as he says this.</p>
<p>Tord shouldn’t have to clean up my mess. He really did help me out when he didn’t have to. I thought he was acting wired this morning, but I guess he could tell I wasn’t feeling too well and decided to leave me be. If only Edd and Matt did that….</p>
<p>Tord pulls out his phone ready to call Edd but I put my hand over it, and he looks at me curiously.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about them, want to join?” I say with half-smile and he looks back at me, still confused.</p>
<p>“Why? You wanted to leave to get some alone time, right? I don’t really want get in the way of that, so I’ll just head back.” Tord shifts his phone out from under my hand.</p>
<p>“Well, not really.” I move my hand behind my neck. “I just didn’t want to lose my cool in front of anyone, and well, that ended up happening anyway. So just come, It’s no big deal.” I shrug at him and looks at me skeptically.</p>
<p>“Really?” He raises an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s not like I wanted to be alone, I just didn’t want to lose my cool at the house.”</p>
<p>Tord looks at me, contemplating for a few seconds before shoving his phone into his back pocket.</p>
<p>“Sure, why not.” He shrugs.</p>
<p>“Cool!” I smile at him and turn towards the direction of the bar. “Let’s hope you don’t black out too quick.” I say provokingly with a smirk.</p>
<p>“Yeah right, you’ll black out way before me.” He jabs back and we both make our way down the street to the bar parlor.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>We both make our way into the bar and settle on two stools at the end of the counter. I plop down in the stool next to the wall and Tord sits on the one next to mine. The bar is empty, due to it being almost one in the afternoon on a Tuesday.</p>
<p>“What are we lookin’ to have, lads?” The bartender looks at us like we’re crazy coming in this early to drink. His expression soon changes to a more understanding one when he glances at me in recognition and sighs. “Same as usual sir?”</p>
<p>“You know it!” I holler back with a grin and he sighs again.</p>
<p>“And you sir?” The bartender looks to Tord.</p>
<p>“Whisky, I do not care how you choose to prepare it.” Tord says casually.</p>
<p>“Can do.” The bartender nods and I glance over at Tord.</p>
<p>“You’re never picky with your drinks are you?” I say while fiddling with the straws in the dispenser on the counter.</p>
<p>“Nope, it all does the same.” Tord shrugs.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but there are so many different types, you don’t have to drink to get drunk.”</p>
<p>“Oh, that is rich coming from you.” Tord gives me a suspicious glare. “Do you even taste your liquor when you are chugging it down like depressed housewife?”</p>
<p>“Hey, of course I do…ish.” I confess. “It depends on how many drinks I had prior.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, figures.” Tord sighs and I chuckle.</p>
<p>The bartender swings around the counter and slides Tord’s glass of whiskey and a whole bottle of Smirnoff for me. Tord gives me a disappointed look.</p>
<p>“Of course, that is your “usual” order.” Tord sighs and I just shrug and pop open the bottle with the little bottle opener I keep on my keys.</p>
<p>The both of us sit there sipping at our drinks and chatting causally for a while until I start to feel a comfortable buzz reach my head. I drink Smirnoff so often that it takes a while before I start to feel anything, so I must have drank a lot to have reached this point so quick.</p>
<p>I take a look at the bottle and it looks like I drank about three-fourths of the bottle already and it hasn’t even been an hour yet since getting here. Maybe I do have a problem…oh well.</p>
<p>I glance to see Tord sipping at his whisky casually and something in my half-drunken brain told me to start picking on him.</p>
<p>“Can you keep up?” I sneer at him.</p>
<p>“Oh please, I can hold my liquor way better than you can.” He snickers back.</p>
<p>“What number re-fill is that?” I point at his glass.</p>
<p>“Third.” He says and takes another sip.</p>
<p>“Wow, three glasses and your already getting tipsy huh?” I tease at him.</p>
<p>“I am doing just fine; have you seen your face?” Tord points sloppily at my face.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong with it?” I reach up and touch my face frantically.</p>
<p>Tord reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone camera. I bring it close to see that my face is has a light blush over it.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, that just means I’m happy, not drunk.” I shoo off Tord’s phone and he chuckles.</p>
<p>“Yeah right, you are never happy.” He smirks and puts his phone back into his pocket.</p>
<p>“I am when I’m drinking~” I sing and take a couple gulps from the bottle, almost emptying it.</p>
<p>“You say that but always end up crying when you are drunk.” Tord snorts.</p>
<p>“That’s because you fuckers ruin the fun and make me cry.” I flip off Tord and he snickers again.</p>
<p>“Or maybe you are just too sensitive.” He retorts.</p>
<p>“OR MAYBE you guys pick on me too much.” I lean in towards Tord’s face and stick my tongue out at him.</p>
<p>“Then stop leaving so many openings to pick on you~” Tord inches closer to my face before I gap us by stuffing the bottle of Smirnoff into my mouth to finish it off.</p>
<p>“Hey, can I get another bottle, my guy?” I holler over at the bartender and he nods. I swing my face back to Tord’s and give him a challenging glare. “If you claim you’re not drunk, then let’s see how long you can keep up.”</p>
<p>“I would worry about yourself first, but let’s see how this turns out.” He smirks as the bartender slides me another bottle and he finishes off his third glass. “I’ll take another as well.” Tord slides the bartender his now empty glass and the bartender complies with the request.</p>
<p>“Let’s see how long you last, commie.”</p>
<p>“It will surely be longer than you, Jehovah.”</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>It was a long time before either of us decided to quit. We got to the bar a little past noon and we’re still here drinking at six o’clock at night.</p>
<p>To say we drank a lot would be an understatement. At this point in the day, we drank more alcohol than the entirety of London’s water supply. It has been a LONG time since I have gotten this drunk. As for Tord, he is acting just fine. He is usually pretty good at holding his liquor, so he is not as drunk as me, but he is still pretty out of it.</p>
<p>Basically, the both of us are almost bone drunk at this bar and any and all malice I have towards Tord has gone out the window thanks to the booze, but I’m not complaining too much.</p>
<p>“Y-You c-can’t be serious?” I slur and raise an eyebrow at Tord as he sways to my side, still trying to convince me that Edd once hid a bomb in his own room before.</p>
<p>“He did!” Tord grabs onto my arm and pulls our faces in close. “He posted a photoshopped picture of me with a teddy bear online, and when I went over to his room to have a little “chat” with him and my pistol, he planted a bomb right in his desk chair! I was scared shitless!”</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah right!” I slur sloppily. “Where d-did he even get a bomb?”</p>
<p>“It was one of mine that he picked up from my room.” Tord leans onto my shoulder to keep himself propped up. “It was a small one, but the blast still hurt!” Tord whines out and I laugh back at him.</p>
<p>“You a-and Edd did a lot of stupid shit before M-Matt and I moved in.” I chuckle, still not being able to get any of my words out correctly.</p>
<p>“Yes, it was a nightmare, but it was also a lot of fun.” Tord sighs and almost puts all of his weight on me, making me think he’s going to fall off of his stool at any moment.</p>
<p>“Things just got w-way better when Matt and I showed up!” I poke at his cheek provokingly and he grunts.</p>
<p>“Yes, sure, whatever you want to believe.” He sighs and takes at glance at his phone. “We should get back to the house soon.” He turns his head to mine and our faces lie just inches apart.</p>
<p>“Aww, b-but why?” I whine out, not wanting to confront neither Edd or Matt after storming out earlier.</p>
<p>“We have been here for hours, Tom.” Tord continues to keep his eyes swarmed in mine. </p>
<p>
  <i>“Damn, those eyes are so fucking sexy, especially this close up.”</i>
</p>
<p>“So?” I argue back, trying and be complicated with him for no reason at all. Must be the booze.</p>
<p>“So, let’s go and relax at the house, I am getting tired.” Tord whines and I finally comply, me being tired as well and would love nothing more than to just slump drunk onto the couch at home.</p>
<p>“O-Okay, fine, but I can’t carry you there.” I shove him off from me and prop him up on the counter. “I can barely keep myself up, let alone the both of us!”</p>
<p>“I am not even that drunk.” Tord says flatly and I give him a skeptical look. “It is true though; you are much more drunk than me.” Tord points at my face provokingly.</p>
<p>“I mean duh, but you are still pretty tipsy, my guy.” I point back at him.</p>
<p>“Whatever.” Tord slaps a large wad of cash onto the counter and swings out from his stool to start marching out from the bar as I start to sway after him.</p>
<p>“Are you lads going to be alright?” The bartender calls out from behind the bar counter with a slightly concerned look on his face.</p>
<p>“Yeah yeah, we live together.” I wave him off trying to reassure him. “We’ll be fine! Thanks for booze, my guy!” We both give each other a parting wave before Tord and I plow through the doorway out onto the chilly nighttime streets.</p>
<p>We’re both too drunk to really feel how cold it is outside, and it actually feels pretty nice with how hot it was getting in the bar as more people started to come in as the day got later. Tord is walking just fine, but I am wobbling like crazy and Tord just scoffs and watches me struggle.</p>
<p>“You are really having trouble there, huh?” He says with a slight chuckle and I glare at him.</p>
<p>“H-Hey, I told you I was going to have trouble keeping myself up, don’t laugh!” I say while still trying to keep my balance.</p>
<p>“Want me to hold your hand?” Tord holds out his hand with a malicious grin and I smack it away.</p>
<p>“I c-can manage this on my own, t-thank you very much!” I say as I try and straighten up, but somehow end up almost completely stumbling over, making Tord reach over to grab me by the waist.</p>
<p>“Okay, sure you can.” Tord says as he rolls his eyes and I just sigh.</p>
<p>“F-Fine, I just need a LITTLE help, that’s all.” I admit and swing my arm around Tord’s shoulders and keep myself propped up to walk straight.</p>
<p>“That is odd.” Tord’s face looks stunned.</p>
<p>“What?” I say pulling my face towards his.</p>
<p>“It is just that you NEVER actually accept help when you are drunk. Are you okay?” Tord ask in a condescending tone making me stick my tongue out at him again.</p>
<p>“I am VERY drunk, and you are useful as a crutch, I mean, you ARE the perfect size.” I ruffle his hair with my hand from around his shoulders.</p>
<p>“We are only a couple cementers apart…” I hear slight irritation in Tord’s voice, and I laugh at his sensitivity on the topic of his height.</p>
<p>“It’s almost a full two inches, stop, lying to yourself.” I move my hand from his hair and poke at his cheek.</p>
<p>“You know, I actually like my height!” Tord exclaims as we start walking to the house, but with a slight stumble here and there, due to me putting almost my entire weight on Tord as we walk.</p>
<p>
  <i>“He really did pack on some muscle over the years, so hot~”</i>
</p>
<p>“I like your height too.” I chuckle. “It’s perfect for situations like this!” I lean over on him some more and he grunts.</p>
<p>“Whatever, Jehovah.” Tord sighs and looks off to the side as we stumble all the way back to the house.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>By the time we reach the front door, Tord shakes me, asking for my key and I release my arm from Tord to scramble around through my pockets looking for my key set that I chained to my wallet. Eventually I find them and we both bust through the front door as if we were coming back from a long day at the office.</p>
<p>We both throw off our shoes and almost collapse onto the floor of the foyer. However, upon our entrance, I take notice of a note left on the counter in the foyer and stop myself from colliding with the ground.</p>
<p>“Yo, there’s a note from Edd.” I holler at Tord who is leaning on the wall only a foot away from me.</p>
<p>“What does it say?” He asks at a much more normal volume than me as I grab the note and start reading it out to the best to my drunken abilities.</p>
<p>“Uh, it says: Matt’s grandma…. cookies……you won’t get any…uhhh….be safe…. back tomorrow.” I look at Tord and shrug, seeing nothing wrong with how I read off the letter, but he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose indicating otherwise.</p>
<p>“So, they went to Matt’s grandma’s house for cookies, and they are going to spend the night over there, so they are wishing us to be safe tonight?” Tord recites back and I look at the note and nod back at him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s basically what it said.” I shrug.</p>
<p>“Yeah, your rendition did not give me much to work with.” He sighs.</p>
<p>“Hey, I read it pretty well! At least, I think I did?” I am pretty drunk, so I have no clue to be honest.</p>
<p>“You are already illiterate as it is, plus you are drunk on top of that...” Tord sighs again. “I should have just read the note myself.”</p>
<p>“Whatever.” I throw the note back onto the counter. “Why do you think they left?” I ask Tord and he rubs the back of his neck sorely.</p>
<p>“Well, they were initially worried about you coming back home all angry from the bar, so they most likely left to avoid you lashing out at them again.” Tord says as he avoids my gaze.</p>
<p>“Oh…” I look off as well and then back at him. “I guess that was a smart call on their part.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you were with me, so what makes them think you would still be mad?” Tord says with a widely sarcastic smile.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think that is also why they left.” I snort. “There is nothing good that can come out from the both of us out drinking together for hours.”</p>
<p>“Hey, we have not fought even once tonight!” Tord cheers.</p>
<p>“Bullshit we argued at the bar for hours!” I point at him accusingly. “Hell, we argued on the way back home! We’re arguing right now!” I exclaim and he waves me off dismissively.</p>
<p>“A little bickering is nothing! That is just how we communicate!” Tord continues to wave at me as he makes his way out from the foyer to the hallway, and I just squint back at him.</p>
<p>“Sure.” I give the note another glance and then walk out from the foyer to follow Tord out. “You going to bed?” I ask and Tord stops in his tracks.</p>
<p>“I want to, but I cannot sleep until I sober up a bit, plus it’s only six-thirty. It would be the lame to go to bed now.” Instantly I start laughing out loud to myself for a couple seconds while Tord stares at me, confused from my sudden burst of laughter. “What is so funny?”</p>
<p>“You cannot be “the lame”, Tord.” I giggle to myself and see irritation rise up to Tord’s face.</p>
<p>“You know—!”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes I know. I was just pointing it out.” I giggle a bit more and ruffle his hair as I pass him and make my way further down the hall.</p>
<p>“Want to see the remains of the bomb Edd used?” Tord suggests and I whip my head towards him.</p>
<p>“Wait, you have it still?!”</p>
<p>“I told you, it was only a tiny bomb, I kept the remains to do some research with it and just never threw it away.” Tord says while sloppily trying to open his bedroom door.</p>
<p>“Let’s s-see it!” I pop up behind Tord and we both sway into Tord’s room and I immediately start looking around curiously.</p>
<p>It’s been a while since I’ve been in here…</p>
<p>“Sit where you like, even though there are not that many options.” Tord says as he goes to the far end of his room to look through what looks like a pile of rummage, but he describes it as just reference materials for his “projects”.</p>
<p>“Ugh.” I cringe as I walk further into his room and I am greeted with all of his Hentai posters and explicit figurines lined up on his desk and shelves.</p>
<p>There are other anime posters and those are fine, I use to watch anime too. I would even watch some series with Tord when we were younger. It’s not like I completely stopped watching it or anything, I still watch it from time to time, but Tord has always been obsessed with it. He has surly watched way more series than me at this point, and who knows how many he has seen while he was gone the past couple years. Either way, it does not shock me to see all of the anime décor in his red-walled room, it just makes me cringe to see the 18+ content plastered on his walls so causally. But that’s just Tord for you…</p>
<p>“Why the “ugh”.” Tord says as he continues to rummage through the pile of scraps in the far corner of his room.</p>
<p>“It’s just…. never mind.” I plop down on the floor by his bed and lean up against it lazily. The only other seating options were his desk chair or the bed, so I’m just going to play it safe with the floor.</p>
<p>“Okay?” Tord ignores my grunt from before and continues to look for the bomb remains until I hear him give a small cheer making me think he finally found it. “Ha! There is not much left!” Tord comes swinging around his bed to the side I am leaned up against and plops down right next to me.</p>
<p>
  <i>“He could have picked the chair, the bed, or anywhere else on the floor to sit, but he sat right next to me so innocently out of habit. How cute~”</i>
</p>
<p>“Here it is!” Tord holds out his hands to display a tiny, oddly structured, rusted metal casket.</p>
<p>“That’s what’s left?” I get my face up close to it and examine it for a couple seconds.</p>
<p>“Yup! It was one of my first models created for military purposes. I was pissed when Edd used it, but I was also somewhat proud of him to have the balls to use my own bomb against me.” Tord says with a beaming smile which could just be a product of the alcohol, but it still undeniably adorable all the same.</p>
<p>“It’s not like I didn’t believe you or anything, it’s just that I can’t believe Edd of all people pulled a bomb on you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, shocked me too, but like I said, I could not stay mad at him for long.” Tord stands up to go and put the rusted casket back into the pile of scraps across his room and then proceeds to plop down right next to me again but this time a bit closer than before.</p>
<p>“It’s good to see your taste in décor hasn’t changed much since you left.” I try and jab at him, but he unsurprisingly takes it as a compliment.</p>
<p>“Thanks, I work hard to get a lot of this stuff.” He says with a cheeky grin.</p>
<p>“Geez, you don’t get embarrassed over this stuff at all do you?” I ask, expecting a genuine response.</p>
<p>“I did, back in high school. I did not think anyone had a problem with it until those assholes picked on me for it.”</p>
<p>“Tord, they picked on you for a bunch of reasons….”</p>
<p>“And?” Tord raises his eyebrow defensively.</p>
<p>“I mean, that doesn’t justify their actions, but you do know there was more to them bullying you than you just being a weeb, right?”</p>
<p>“Thomas, I know why they picked on me, trust me.” Tord says with a little pout and I ruffle his hair.</p>
<p>“Hey, I wasn’t trying to bring up repressed memories, I was just trying to make a point.”</p>
<p>“What was the point?” Tord cocks an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>“That….ummm…uhhh…..I guess there wasn’t one.” I release my hand from Tord’s head and grab my chin.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I didn’t think there was one.” Tord smirks and leans on my shoulder as I still try and figure out the point to my mentioning of his past trauma in high school.</p>
<p>“Hey, do not hurt yourself there.” Tord scoffs as he sees me still trying to recall why the past conversation happened the way it did. Unfortunately, my drunk brain cannot recall anything that far back (literally only a couple seconds).</p>
<p>“Ah fuck it, I guess there was no point.” I say feeling defeated and Tord chuckles, still resting beside be.</p>
<p>“I told you, and now you have just wasted some of the last precious remaining braincells you had left.” Tord continues to chuckle at his own remark.</p>
<p>
  <i>“God, that laugh is like gold~”</i>
</p>
<p>“Whatever.” I look off to the side and continue to critique his poor room decor. “So many body pillows….” I mumble to myself and Tord stops his little laughing fit to interject.</p>
<p>“They are cool, no?” Tord gestures towards the army of body pillows lined up by his closet.</p>
<p>“Well, “cool” is not the word I would use, but sure buddy.” I sigh and Tord crosses his arms.</p>
<p>“There is nothing you like about my room, is there?” He frowns at me.</p>
<p>“Not really, no.” I say flatly. “I just don’t get how you can make fun of me for sleeping with Tomee Bear, when you have those…” I gesture back to the body pillow collection by his closet.</p>
<p>“Well, those are for adults specifically, and I don’t sleep with them, I just collect them.” Tord shrugs.</p>
<p>“Either way, I don’t want hear shit about Tomee Bear when you have all of this bullshit in your room!” I cock my head at him, and he just sinks further into my arm.</p>
<p>“You are just jealous! I have a lot of cool shit in here!” He whines out.</p>
<p>“I don’t know who told you a figurine of Hatsune Miku getting fisted is cool, but they are lying to you.” I gesture to the figurines on his desk and he continues to sulk.</p>
<p>“That is one of my favorites….” He starts to fidget with his hands. “Those are cool!” Tord protests.</p>
<p>“You are blindly in love with those figurines, you know this right?” I tease at him.</p>
<p>“Hey, some of them are limited edition and are really hard to get!” He whines out again.</p>
<p>
  <i>“Awww, he’s so cute when he acts like this~”<i></i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“You think I am cute?” Tord perks his head up and leans up off from my side to give me a curious look.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What?! What do you mean?” I say slightly confused as to why he would say that all of a sudden.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“You think I am cute when I act like what?” Tord recites as if he could hear my own thoughts just now—that asshole!</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Ah! Tord! Stop!” I scream at him and reflexively cover my ears with my hands.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What?!” Tord backs away from me on the floor and looks at me completely bewildered.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“You are not allowed to do that!” I yell at him, hoping for some sort of apology as I have come to realize that he has been deceiving me the whole night.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Do what?!” Tord looks at me defensively.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“H-How could you…….?” I start to choke up from the realization of his betrayal.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“How can I do what, Tom?! Tord continues to give me a confused look, as if he didn’t know!</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“…I trusted you! I didn’t think you would be that sneaky!” Tears start to pile to my eye sockets, but I hold them back from falling.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What did I do?!” Tord exclaims seeming to be genuinely confused, but I know that is just a part of his scheme!</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Tord, you shouldn’t read people’s minds like that! Using a mind-reading device like that is just rude!”  I point accusingly at him again.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Yeah, I got him! There is no other way he was able to hear that mental note I made to myself. He has been tricking me the whole night, trying to get inside my head for……. for?  For whatever reason!</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Tord just stares at me blankly for a couple seconds and sighs before speaking again.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Tom, first, I have never made a mind-reading device and if I did have one, trust me, I would have used that on you YEARS ago. Second, you said that out loud……” Tord says sounding slightly precautious with his words.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>What? I did?!</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“W-What? I did?” I studder out loud and my eye sockets widen.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“You said that out loud, Tom.” Tord repeats as his face goes from serious to giddy real quick. “You thought you made that comment in your head?!” He starts to laugh, as I sit there awkwardly, marinating in my own embarrassment.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Fuck, I am DRUNK. I really thought I said that in my head! Honestly, I am kind of relieved though, if there was any mental note I made on Tord today that were to be said out loud for him to hear, I’m glad it was that one…</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“.... I’m sorry for accusing you.” I say quietly as Tord continues laughing. He is laughing way harder than he should too, it must be the alcohol.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“It is alright, I am not mad.” He starts to calm down from his second laughing fit of the night and starts to inch himself closer to me. “So, that is what you say about me in your head?”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“U-Uh I-I….” My face flushes red again and Tord raises his eyebrows at me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“So, what do I do cutely?” His smirk rises further across his face.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“……I-I’m not telling’” I try and turn my head from him, but he reaches his hand to my chin and gently turns it back towards him.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Please do~” Our faces are inches apart and a heated cloud swells my mind, most likely the alcohol getting to my head again.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“O-Okay, fine. Just because you asked politely.” Tord nods and shifts his hand from my chin to my shoulder. “……I think it’s cute when you get defensive over your weird obsessions.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Tord’s warm lips latch onto my neck and I feel him slowly suck on one designated spot.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mmm.” Tord moans into my neck.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I think it’s cute when you get defensive about your Hentai in general.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Do you?” Tord mumbles into my neck and then proceeds to start trailing his soft lips up my neck slowly.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Yeah, but at the same time I think it’s cute the way your face lights up after you buy a new Hentai magazine.” He keeps his pace slow on my neck as his tongue traces along each spot over and over again. “O-Or when you illegally download some from the internet.” I reflexively give him more room to roam my neck as I tilt my head back a bit further.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mhm.” Tord continues to run his lips up my neck but stops at my jawline to trail back down.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“The way you smile at me after finishing one of your inventions.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mhmmm” He says letting his lips grip harder at another designated spot.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“The rare times I can get you flustered.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mm.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“The way you grin at other people’s suffering in TV shows or movies.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mhm hm~”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Your maniacal laugh after you mess with Matt.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mm.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Your regular laugh whenever someone get screwed over in general.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mmm”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“When you trip up on your English from time to time.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey, I am trying.” Tord pulls from the spot my neck to retort.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I-I know but, it’s cute seeing your face get so serious about it after I point it out.” I smile and cup his cheek with my hand.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Whatever…” Tord’s eyes shift to the side as he pouts.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey, you asked.” I reply grazing my thumb over his cheekbone.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Still….” He continues to pout.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey.” I call to him.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What?” Tord’s eyes shift back towards me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I think your being cute right now~” A smile curls to my lips and Tord stares at me with lidden eyes.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>I shift my hand to the back of his neck and tangle my fingers in his hair.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>We both stare at each other for a couple seconds, both unmoving.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Yeah, I guess that just about settles it.” I say plainly, still keeping my gaze with his’.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Settles what?” He says with a puzzled look and tilts his head slightly.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I can’t take it anymore~”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>I yank Tord in from the back of his neck with my hand and slam our lips together.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>I initiate the kiss and suck hard at his lips before inching his mouth open. As soon as I do this, Tord starts giving into the kiss and slips his tongue in first.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>His tongue was like velvet as it intwined with mine, it was incredible.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The kiss intensifies and I feel Tord’s hand start to reach up my shirt and start caressing my chest. I moan into the kiss as his thumb trails over my nipple. It was at this point that the both of us were way too touch starved to keep up with any sort of foreplay, so I decide to just get right to business.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Keeping our lips locked together, I pull Tord and I off from the ground, and flip him onto the end of his bed and ride my knee up to his groin while keeping my other leg posted to the ground. By doing this I get a nice moan from Tord and I pin one of his arms down to the bed while his other arm free roams and grabs the back of my neck.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>We’re both a little too overdressed for this occasion.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>I break the kiss and whip off my tee-shirt and fling it to the other side of Tord’s room. After that I lock our lips together once again and bring my hands to the bottom of Tord’s hoodie to start bringing it over his torso. We break the kiss again to get his hoodie over his head but immediately smack our lips right back to together to start making out even more ferociously. Laying my hand on Tord’s waist I—woah.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Tord!” I break away from the kiss and take a long look at the sight in front of me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What!” Tord exclaims in a worried tone and I can’t rip my gaze from the glorious sight before me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>What I felt was a set of finely sculpted abs, a full six-pack. His muscles are traced finely around his entire abdomen. He has a couple scars here and there, but overall, he was toned nicely.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“…. you’re fit….” This is all I can say as I am almost completely mesmerized by this superb sight below me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Oh…. yeah, just a bit.” Tord’s face is still heated from the kiss, making this sight all the hotter. It becomes unbearably harder to hold back any further than I already am. “Tom?” Tord calls out and my mind switches into a mode I never thought existed within me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Get over ere’.” I growl and yank Tord in for another long kiss and start taking full advantage of those godly abs of his with my hands.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>At this point, all reason has completely left my head and I rip off Tord’s jeans with so much force he almost flies off with them if I weren’t holding him down with my other hand. It feels like there is no time to waste, so just getting straight to the point, I immediately whip off his briefs as well and get to unbuckling my belt. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Once my belt is off, it’s not much longer before my jeans are thrown off and sent flying to the other side of Tord’s room like my shirt. Grabbing one of Tord’s legs, I move it up further over the bed and plant myself directly between his legs and lower my briefs.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“…mhm Tom~…” Tord moans out louder than before and I gaze down at him, no reason nor sense left in my brain.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I am going to make a mess of you...” I lick at his lips, and with no prep whatsoever, I go right ahead and insert myself right into Tord’s entrance.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Heavenly~</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>~~~~~~~~</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>I open my eyes to a throbbing headache and a tiny beam of light poking through my eyelids. I groan and rub my forehead and try to pry my eyes open as much as possible. I shift my other arm and hit something fuzzy up against my side. A tuff of caramel brown hair is poking out from the side of my stomach and I pull back the covers to reveal a sleeping Tord gripped to my side, naked.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>oH nO</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>We fucked, HARD last night…</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>There are a couple memories from last night surfacing here and there, but for the most part, I remember almost nothing except for the feeling. My brain is in a little too much shock to think further into the matter, so I just let my mind wander as I still try and process my current position.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Sitting propped upright in what I can now recognize as Tord’s bed, I just stare dazed at one of his Hentai posters posted on the wall across from the bed. Right now, if I am pissed over anything in this situation it’s that I’m awake first. Why am I awake?! I always sleep in whenever I am hungover this bad! No matter how much Tord drinks, he never sleeps in longer than me! What the hell?!</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Just as I come to this realization, I feel Tord start to stir awake and tighten his grip on my waist while nuzzling his head further into my side.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>As Tord starts to awaken, my hazed brain somehow recalls something completely out of the blue.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey, Tord…” I call out to him and he shuffles next to me.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Mhm?” Tord’s eyes remain shut as he hums in response to my call.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“You know…. I think Edd sent me that photo of you and the teddy bear….”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>An awkward silence fills the room as I hear Tord curse under his breath.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“That fucker…”</i>
  </i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The story is at its halfway point! (Almost, not sure in terms of word count and shit, but close enough) Hope you all are enjoying the story, and I appreciate all of the support!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. What Are you so Afraid of?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The boys have some talking to do...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>It’s five o’clock in the afternoon, and it’s been an hour since Tord and I left his bed from our little “adventure” last night.</p>
<p>I’m leaning on the counter in the kitchen sipping at a cup of coffee and I hear Tord in the shower from the other end of the house in the bathroom. I showered first after leaving his bed, and he just went in after me with a very few exchange in words between the two of us. I take a long sip from my coffee, trying to treat my hangover and piece together the activities of last night.</p>
<p>There are some memories of last night swarming my head, but for the most part, it was kind of a blur. However, I do remember being the one to initiate the whole ordeal and that just does not sit well with me. We were both drunk though, it’s not like we knew what we were doing, plus both of us were insanely touch-starved with each other.  All reason and rationale had left both of our heads and we just let our dicks run the whole show.</p>
<p>It’s frustrating, but I can’t get too mad about it. Tord was for sure drunk, so I can’t blame him on this. Since I was the one who initiated the whole thing, it just looks stupid on me. I have been trying to distance myself from Tord ever since he came back, but it feels like we have just been getting closer and closer to each other. I hate it, but I really did miss spending time with him. Fuck, my head is just all over the place right now….</p>
<p>“Good morning lad!” Edd comes into the kitchen and greets me with a wave.</p>
<p>“It’s not morning?” I give him a curious look and gesture towards the oven clock that clearly says five o’clock.</p>
<p>“I agree, it would be odd for anyone to start their day this late.” Edd smiles at me and I give him a deadpanned expression.</p>
<p>“You’re so funny.” I scowl at him and he giggles to himself.</p>
<p>“You’re the one hopping out of bed at five in the afternoon.” Edd teases.</p>
<p>“Actually, I got up at four today.” I say in an “as-a-matter-of-fact” tone.</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s pretty early for you.” Edd gives me a small clap. “Congratulations, Tom.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, fuck off.” I take another long sip of my coffee and Edd pulls out a chair at the kitchen table.</p>
<p>“You were drinking last night, so I won’t give you too hard of a time about it.” Edd giggles again.</p>
<p>“Ah, yeah…” I say and slowly start to remember my last talking to Edd yesterday; it wasn’t pretty….</p>
<p>I frown at Edd and he just laughs and waves at me dismissively.</p>
<p>“It’s no big deal lad, I’m not mad.” Edd looks down at his hands and starts to fidget with the tablecloth. “I’m not mad, I just didn’t want you to go out drinking to go and start fights like how you do when you get like that.”</p>
<p>Edd looks pained. He’s worried about me, and it’s only because I do tend to act up when I get drunk like that. My head was all types of messed up yesterday, and I wasn’t thinking clearly about how him and Matt had felt about my decision to go out and drink. I was being immature and selfish, Edd and Matt shouldn’t have to deal with this either.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I shouldn’t have just left without being more mindful of you and Matt…” I frown further at Edd as he waves me off dismissively once again.</p>
<p>“It’s all fine! You had Tord with you and that eased me about your leaving.”</p>
<p>“Really?” My jaw drops at Edd’s statement and he gives me a confused look.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Tord being with you gave me a bit of a piece of mind letting you leave.” Edd smiles as he continues to fidget with the tablecloth.</p>
<p>“Why? I don’t know if you know this, but me and that guy do not get along most of the time.” I say in a sarcastic tone and Edd chuckles back.</p>
<p>“Well, I didn’t know what got you all upset.” Edd shrugs. “You were just storming out of the house and I heard Matt pleading for you to stay. I thought maybe you and Tord had gotten at it with each other, and I didn’t want you go out drinking like how you use to after he left.”</p>
<p>Ah, I get it now…</p>
<p>I awkwardly look down at the ground and fiddle with my coffee mug as a rush of guilt eats at my chest.</p>
<p>“….I’m sorry to make you guys worry like that.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine!” Edd laughs again and looks back down at his hands. “When I heard Tord defending you, I was shocked. I thought you two were in a spat, but here Tord was trying to help you out. It made me feel like the villain.”</p>
<p>“You weren’t, Edd.” I try and give Edd a reassuring look. “I had a lot on my head, and you were just trying to look out for me.”</p>
<p>“Listen, if I have to be the villain for you two to get along, I’ll gladly except!” Edd flashes me a beaming smile. “However, in any other case, I rather be the hero! Heroes are way cooler!”</p>
<p>We both chuckle and talk in the kitchen for a while about a bunch of random stuff, as well as Matt’s grandmother and how she’s doing, seeing that Tord and I didn’t get to see her yesterday. Speaking of Tord, while Edd and I were talking, I failed to hear the shower turn off, so I was very unprepared when Tord came limping into the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Morning Tord!” Edd perks his head up and greets Tord cheerily. “You alright? You’re limping.” Edd asks in a concerned tone while Tord just grunts back in response.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it…” He mutters and Edd nods his head seeming somewhat content with Tord’s answer.</p>
<p>I avoid my gaze from Tord’s, and he makes his way silently over to the fridge. Fortunately, he pulls out a package of bacon and I take sigh of relief. Today was not the day that I would want to have to pull apart another bacon fight between Edd and Tord. Tord then, shifts over to the stove and turns it on, and then goes to the sink to fill himself up a glass of water.</p>
<p>It’s not too awkward between Tord and I, but I would think it’s more awkward between Tord and Edd due to their last interaction being Tord socking Edd in the stomach. However, I feel like those two have gone through so many physical altercations with each other, that something like that wouldn’t create any tension between them. Especially since Edd is not one to hold grudges for very long, or at all for that matter.</p>
<p>Tord gets his glass of water and puts all of his focus to preparing his bacon and Edd tries to initiate a conversation between the three of us.</p>
<p>“So Tord, what’s got you up so late?” Edd asks Tord and I twitch at the question while trying to continue calmly drinking my coffee, anticipating Tord’s response to see how he is going to cover up this whole ordeal.</p>
<p>“I was working all night.” Tord says casually and I take a long sigh.</p>
<p>This is not the first time Tord and I have had to cover up our little “activities”, but it has been so long since we had to. I’m worried that Edd might find out about last night which would make everything WAY more complicated. Hell, I don’t even know how I feel about everything going on between us at this point!</p>
<p>“You usually still come out for breakfast though, then after you would coop yourself back into your room.” Edd ask with pure curiosity and I start to sweat, hoping Tord doesn’t say anything to give us away. Although, it’s usually me that slips up in these situations so if it’s Tord handling this, there is probably nothing I should worry about.</p>
<p>“Yes, but I started working on this new laser, and I wanted to get it done as soon as possible.” Tord starts putting the bacon on the pan and Edd’s eyes light up in excitement.</p>
<p>“Wait! A new laser! What does it do!” Edd slams his hands on the table enthusiastically and Tord sighs.</p>
<p>“It is a time-alternating laser gun.” Tord says sounding completely disinterested.</p>
<p>“Cool! We can go back in time!” Edd slams his hands to his cheeks excitedly and starts to hop up and down.</p>
<p>“First, I do not know what you mean by “we”? This is my creation, and this out of my many others is certainly not a toy.” Tord sighs again as he flips his bacon strips. “Second, no. The laser can only alter the time of whatever it is directed at. It cannot send anyone back in time, only alter the time of said object. As of now, I have only gotten it to have reverse time effects on certain things.”</p>
<p>I don’t know if this “time-alteration laser gun” actually exists or not, but Tord is covering up last night with ease. He has always been good at keeping his cool in these situations, but this is most likely due to him having a lot of practice lying to others throughout his life. It’s just second nature to him at this point.</p>
<p>“Aww….” Edd whines and slumps back into his chair at the table. “No time traveling adventures?” Edd pouts and looks at Tord with puppy-dog eyes.</p>
<p>“No.” Tord says flatly. “What makes you think I can even make stuff like that?”</p>
<p>Honestly, I do not blame Edd for jumping to that conclusion. Tord can make the most unimaginable things. I never know what the hell he has up his sleeve. Also, I feel like a “time-alteration” device is pretty close to a “time traveling” device, but eh, what do I know.</p>
<p>“I don’t know….” Edd sulks and lays his head on the table overly depressed on the matter.</p>
<p>“Maybe next time, bud.” I say consolingly towards Edd as he sighs out loudly.</p>
<p>“Well, if you were working on the laser all night, did you even drink last night?” Edd asks still keeping his head on the table.</p>
<p>“Nope.” Tord says with the same amount of causality from earlier and continues to flip his bacon.</p>
<p>“So, you just babysat Tom all night while he drank?” Edd ask skeptically.</p>
<p>“Yup.” He answers simply as if it were true, to which, it is NOT. We can’t let Edd know that though…</p>
<p>I click my tongue at Tord’s response, and I hear him snicker from over at the stove.</p>
<p>“Well then, thanks Tord! I really do owe you a lot recently.” Edd rubs the back of his neck and smiles at Tord.</p>
<p>“It is no problem, Edd! You know I will help you out no matter what! I mean, what are friends for?” Tord says in an overly exaggerated tone. It’s his usual tone for when he is being manipulative, that cheeky prick.</p>
<p>“Exactly! Edd smiles happily and I start to get mildly irritated with the conversation. “I bet Tom was swearing vulgarly and slurring all over the place last night, it must have been hard.” Edd shakes his head in sympathetically.</p>
<p>“Ah yes, the whole night was HARD.” I twitch at Tord’s response and glare at him as he looks away from the stove to wink at me.</p>
<p>That asshole…</p>
<p>“Yeah, Tom can be a handful when he’s drunk, he can get pretty clingy too.” Edd unnecessarily adds and Tord takes the opening.</p>
<p>“Yes, he had his hands ALL over me last night.”</p>
<p>I grit my teeth and scowl at Tord as he conceals a small grin while continuing his chat with Edd.</p>
<p>“It must have been annoying having to take care of him while working all night, how could you even stay focused? Tom can be quite the attention snob when he’s drunk.” Edd asks with his voice just oozing with empathy for Tord in this made-up scenario that occurred last night.</p>
<p>“It did not matter, I am used to Tom FORCING himself into matters, especially when I am working.” Tord’s grin widens. “He always tries to just INSERT himself into anything when he gets like that.” Tord woes and I just stand there taking hit after hit.</p>
<p>There were too many connotations to this conversation that Edd is just not picking up on. I’m glad, don’t get me wrong, but talking like this to Edd in the first place is just unnecessary and Tord is only doing it to mess with me. He’s such an asshole…</p>
<p>“Haha, yeah, he is like that.” Edd replies cluelessly to the conversation and Tord continues.</p>
<p>“Yes, he is always so clingy and whiny when he is drunk, he often drools all OVER me.” Tord exaggerates his voice and I glare harder at him.</p>
<p>“It’s not a very attractive sight, to see Tom like that.” Edd laughs to himself and Tord nods in agreement while I just simmer in my own annoyance in this conversation.</p>
<p>Can this get any worse?</p>
<p>“Did someone say “attractive”?” Matt pops his head around the corner of the kitchen entrance.</p>
<p>“Yeah, and with that, I’m leaving.” After placing my mug to the side of the sink I turn out from the kitchen and make my way over to my bedroom.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~</p>
<p>After thirty minutes of me pouting to myself in my room I hear a small creak at my door, meaning someone was entering without approval to do so. Meaning, it was Tord.</p>
<p>“Can we talk?” Tord peeks his out from the other side of my door.</p>
<p>Whatever he wants to talk about, probably pertains to last night. While I rather not think too hard about what happened, I know we need to talk about it and get some things sorted out while also setting some boundaries between us.</p>
<p>“Yeah, come in.” I sigh and gesture him to come in.</p>
<p>“Okay…” Tord slips into my room, shuts the door behind him, and throws me a cheeky smile. “Why the long face, old friend?” He says keeping himself close to the door.</p>
<p>“I'm not your friend.” I glare back at him and his smile drops. “Did you have something to say?” I harden my glare at him, still pissed from his conversation with Edd earlier.</p>
<p>“Kind of, but you are the one who is mad.” Tord gestures his shoulder at me to start the conversation that he came in to initiate.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I wonder who got me all mad in the first place?” I snap at him and he just laughs back.</p>
<p>“Classic, stupid, Tom! You are the one who makes yourself mad, you take everything so seriously.” He waves at me dismissively.</p>
<p>“Fuck off.” I harden my glare at him. “Why did you have to say all that stuff in the first place?” I confront him with an irritated tone.</p>
<p>“We do not want Edd to figure out what happened, do we?” He says in a condescending tone which just gets me even more irritated.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you didn’t have say it all like that! There was no reason to mess with me like that!” I throw my hands in the air angrily.</p>
<p>“Hey, because of you I can barely even stand right now, I think I deserve a little fun with this.” Tord jabs back, instantly making me feel guilty of how rough I was with him last night. I kind of rammed him with no prep whatsoever…</p>
<p>“Sorry….” I say feeling defeated, drooping my head down towards the floor.</p>
<p>“It’s fine, it just seems that neither of us should be fed up with each other at the moment because it was a mutual thing.” Tord shrugs.</p>
<p>“Agreed. I’m not mad at you or anything, it’s just that my head is all types of jumbled up right now.” I confess and plop myself down at the end of my bed.</p>
<p>“Well, why?” Tord shifts his weight to his other leg.</p>
<p>“What do you mean why? I don’t know!” I run my fingers through my hair and take a deep exhale. “Tord, I really didn’t want to sleep with you.”</p>
<p>“Clearly you did.” He raises an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>“Okay, yes, I did “physically” want to sleep with you, but I didn’t mentally want to do it.” I rub the back of my neck. “I still have a lot of complex feelings towards you, and I really need to sort them out. I’d rather had done that before anything happened like last night, but I guess it’s too late now…”</p>
<p>“So, sort it out now.” Tord looks at me nonchalantly and I feel my face get hot.</p>
<p>“Like right now?” I narrow my eyes at him, and he nods.</p>
<p>“Let’s just talk it out now. I do not see what the issue is.” Tord crosses his arms and keeps his stare with mine.</p>
<p>“I’d rather do it alone...I can figure it out on my own if I can just—”</p>
<p>“Tom, I have been back for over four months now. Don’t you think you should have figured any issues you have with me out by now?” Tord shoots a glare at me and I just look to the floor. “It seems like “figuring things out by yourself” is not working, so let’s try talking to me about it, okay?”</p>
<p>Tord sounds irritated, and I can’t blame him either. He’s right in the sense that it has been over four months of us living together again, so this shit should have been solved out way sooner. He did try and clear the air between us a number of times, so if I have unresolved issues with him it’s my own fault at this point. It’s just that, I really don’t want to talk this through with him right now, it could end up in an argument and I don’t want to cause drama in the house two days in a row.</p>
<p>“Let’s not, I don’t want this to end up in a fight.” I wave at him dismissively.</p>
<p>“Then let’s not fight.” Tord shrugs.</p>
<p>“Oh, wow I wish, I thought of that!” I say with a sarcastic tone. “It’s not like I ever plan to fight with you.”</p>
<p>“It seems like it with how easy you tend to get mad with me.” He jabs back.</p>
<p>“That’s because you ask for it!” I launch out from my bed and snap at him. “You always do stuff to get me all angry and then wonder why I’m mad!”</p>
<p>“I never know what makes you mad or not!” Tord starts to raise his voice back.</p>
<p>So much for not fighting…</p>
<p>“It should be obvious at this point! I know you know what your doing!” I take a step towards him and he steps in closer as well.</p>
<p>“No, no it is not!” He points at me aggressively. “You never tell me that stuff, and I just have to guess! Everything I say or do makes you upset, so it does not even matter anymore!”</p>
<p>“I don’t need to tell you; you should just know!” I lash at him and he frowns.</p>
<p>
  <i>It’s hard to yell at him when he makes that face…</i>
</p>
<p>“I’m trying.” He says in a defeated tone. “It just feels like no matter what I do, you are always angry.”</p>
<p>“Because whatever you’re doing is wrong.” I say plainly at him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, everything I do is wrong when it comes to you!” He lashes out again. “Nothing I do is ever right! </p>
<p>“Not always!” I lash back. “You do make me happy sometimes, believe it or not!” I cry out at him.</p>
<p>“I do?” Tord’s face softens, and I frown back at him.</p>
<p>Anytime I say something positive towards Tord, his face eases up and he looks content.</p>
<p>I don’t like it.</p>
<p>He questions how I feel about him, as if it’s hard to believe. I know we fight all of the time, but we spend so much time together, of course I like him in some areas. It just feels like he thinks I hate his guts all of the time, when that’s just not true. It hurts to see how happy he gets to hear these things because it makes me think he doesn’t hear it often.</p>
<p>“Why do you look so shocked? Why else would I talk to you?!” I throw my arms up excessively.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, because that is what you are used to?” Tord shrugs defensively.</p>
<p>“No, as of now I am used to you NOT being here.” I cross my arms and glare at him.</p>
<p>“That is fair, I guess…” He drops his gaze but still has a little bit of contentment in his expression that’s sends a pang in my chest.</p>
<p>“Tord, I went eight years without you….” I give him an honest look. “I missed you too. I missed having you by my side all of the time. I DID get use to you always being with me, so when you left, I had no clue what else to do.” I slump back onto the end of my bed and I feel him stare hard at me.</p>
<p>“I know.” Is all he says, and I start to feel the pain in my chest grow.</p>
<p>“You and I were just fine beforehand, and then you just up and left! How am I supposed to treat you after that! I was so confused!” I cry out and Tord’s expressions sinks further.</p>
<p>“I know.” He says again.</p>
<p>“Now, you’re back, and I have so much pent-up anger towards you.” I shove my face into my hands. “It sucks because I know you really didn’t do anything wrong! You didn’t have to stay with me, I’m just stupid for thinking it may be that way!”</p>
<p>“No, it is not like that.” I feel Tord ease down next to me on my bed and lean back on his arms. “I had my own reasons for leaving, and I was never mad at you for not understanding. It is my own fault because I never told you.”</p>
<p>“But you didn’t have to!” I pick my head up from my hands and lash back at him. “You never have to tell me anything, but I am always so use to knowing everything about you, that it hurt more when there was something so important to you that I just didn’t know about.”</p>
<p>“That was intentional, Tom.” Tord leans forward to look at me. “Being mad at me for that is understandable, I should have never done that to you.”</p>
<p>“Well either way, you did, and it just complicated my feelings towards you even more.” I sigh out loudly. “Now your back, and I want to hate you, and I do, but at the same time I just can’t get you out of my head.” I sigh out again and my conflicted feeling towards Tord start to seem more apparent. “I just don’t know what to do!” I throw my hands to my face again and fall back onto my bed.</p>
<p>“You do not have to do anything. Just do what you want.” I feel Tord throw himself backwards onto my bed next to me.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what I want…” I sigh and drop my hands from my face to stare up at my ceiling, taking note of Tord doing the same thing.</p>
<p>Both of us just lie next to each other in a comfortable silence, staring at my ceiling, and somehow, it feels like this is the first time in years where I can just breathe comfortably around him.</p>
<p>“Then, let us just do as you said years ago.” Tord says as he shifts his view from the ceiling towards me.</p>
<p>“And what’s that?” I turn my head to look back at him and we both just hold each other’s gaze for a couple seconds before Tord starts again.</p>
<p>
  <i>“Let’s just stay together.”</i>
</p>
<p>He gives me a small smile and I feel him start to tangle our fingers together.</p>
<p>Nothing feels right with Tord anymore. It’s hard to talk to him without my resentment for him after all these years leaking out, but it’s also hard to talk to him without any sort of affection for him leaking out all the same. It’s confusing, and I know Tord doesn’t deserve this treatment. For him to reach out to me as often as he has been recently is just boggling to me. He never usually reaches out or tries to solve any sort of conflict, but ever since he came back from wherever the hell he went, he’s been really trying to get things sorted out between us. I hate him, but I can’t deny that I missed him, or that I want him to stay with me. He means a lot to me.</p>
<p>“Ha, “let’s just stay together”, did I really say something like that?” I scoff and he just gives me a slight nod.</p>
<p>“Yup. Way back in high school is when you said it.” Tord props himself up from the bed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but it just sounds so sappy.” I chuckle and raise myself up after Tord.</p>
<p>“Well, you said it.” He jabs.</p>
<p>“And, you just said it again.” I jab back.</p>
<p>“Shut up, Jehovah.”</p>
<p>“Shut up, commie.”</p>
<p>We both grin at each other and a knock at my door jolts us both off from my bed and we look at each other nervously.</p>
<p>“It is your room; you answer the door.” Tord points at the door and I sigh.</p>
<p>I slug myself away from my bed and sulk over to my door and slowly creak it open to see a mildly irritated Edd standing there with his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. He looks slightly irritated, and I have a pretty good idea as to why…</p>
<p>“Knock off the fighting, lads. You’re too loud.” He glares at Tord and I, and I feel Tord fidget from behind me.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Edd…” I say rubbing the back of my neck and he sighs back.</p>
<p>“Just come you two, Matt got his foot stuck in the dishwasher again.” Edd gestures his head towards the kitchen and turns sharply on his heel to walk in that direction.</p>
<p>“Well, you know the drill.” I turn my head towards Tord and sigh. “Let’s help and get him out.”</p>
<p>“I really thought he would grow out of this shit by now…” Tord sighs as well and strides towards me by the doorway.</p>
<p>“Yeah, me too.” I look at him frankly. “Not going to lie though, I would trick him into getting stuck a couple times. It always backfires though because Edd would make me be the one to fish him out.” I confess and Tord snorts.</p>
<p>“Ha! Classic, stupid, T—”</p>
<p>“Shut up.”</p>
<p> I cut him off and grab the back of his neck to pull him in and lock our lips together. I slip my tongue in lick at his lips, but swiftly release myself after a couple good draws from his mouth. Once we pull apart, Tord’s face was absolutely priceless. It’s rare to see him actually blush that quick.</p>
<p>“You could have given me a warning...” He says shyly and grips at my arm.</p>
<p>“Eh, didn’t feel like it.” I lick my lips coyly and we both start making our way to the kitchen to help our friend out from the kitchen appliance.</p>
<p>Yeah, just sticking together sounds pretty nice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I apologize for the late upload (two days late :( sowwy) but things are going to be back to normal this next week.</p>
<p>Something to note: This story is going to get a tad more mature from here on out, so here's the heads up for that.</p>
<p>I'm not changing the warnings because it's nothing too intense, but I thought I'd let ya'll know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Edd's Confession</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Edd drags Matt into something that neither of them were planning to indulge in on this lovely Tuesday night...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is another explicit chapter, so if you don't like that stuff feel free to skip to the next one. </p>
<p>If you stayed to read this part of the story, I hope you enjoy!</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>The air’s hot and my breathing becomes unsteady as I feel a weight shift on top of me. It’s surely the middle of the night still. I try and tussle myself back to sleep, but the weight keeps shifting more and more sensually. I am much too tired to open my eyes to inspect this mysterious weight across my lower abdomen, but I pry one eye open to see a tuff of hair hovering over my line of vison. It’s dark, but I can make out exactly who it is. Plus, who else would sneak their way into my room in the middle of the night other than…Tord.</p>
<p>“Mmh…Tord?” I mumble out, still in a trance and just barely even awake.</p>
<p>“Mmmm?” Tord hums out surprisingly close to my ear. </p>
<p>That is when I realize that his mouth is all over my neck, sucking eagerly at it.</p>
<p>I am much too tired to really care much about it, but as all this continues, I start to sir further awake to take notice of the position Tord has taken on me while I slept.</p>
<p>He is straddled across my waist over my bed covers with our crotches grided up against each other. I am lying on my back (just trying to peacefully sleep) and Tord is leaned on top of me with his face in the crook of my neck, sucking hard on one designated spot. My guess is that he got horny in the middle of the night and made his way into my room to get some “relief”. He knows that if he woke me up in the middle of the night for a booty call that I would not comply, so he is trying to get the most out of what he can while I sleep. What a fucking loser.</p>
<p>“Tord…let me sleep…” I try and shoo him of with minimal effort, and of course it doesn’t work.</p>
<p>“Mmmm Thomas~” Tord hums again as he continues to suck on the same part of my neck.</p>
<p>At this point I start to sir more and more awake and feel just how hard Tord is through my comforter. That being said, I start to get harder with each grind, and with Tord sucking on my neck the feeling just intensifies.</p>
<p>“…Tord, not now I’m tired….” I whine and Tord’s pace remains the same as he continues to grind and suck in sync with each other.</p>
<p>“Mmmm, let’s fuck Tom~” Tord moans into my neck and I just lie there letting him have his fun for a couple more seconds until I weakly protest once again.</p>
<p>“…no…I’m sleepy…” I complain halfheartedly, and Tord continues to dry hump me through my covers, making this all the more difficult.</p>
<p>“Tom…” He moans out again.</p>
<p>Well, I mean, we’re both already hard……. </p>
<p>Ah what the hell, why not.</p>
<p>“Tord…” I feel my face getting hotter and my breathing getting heavier as he keeps sucking on the already raw part of my neck.</p>
<p>Grabbing both of Tord’s thighs on each side of my hips, I turn my head to the side to inch him into a kiss and he easily complies. We make out hard for a while and I feel Tord start to quicken his pace.</p>
<p>What are we? Two horny middle schoolers? Why the hell are dry humping each other between my sheets?</p>
<p>Yeah, let’s fix that.</p>
<p>“Tord….” I break away from the heavy kiss. “Take your shirt off.”</p>
<p>Tord easily complies once again and whips his shirt off revealing his soft-toned abs and chest.</p>
<p>Makes me melt every time….</p>
<p>Tord is sitting straight on top of me smiling hungrily at me. It’s obvious that he is up to something, but whatever it is I’m much too tired and horny right now to care.</p>
<p>He leans down to go back in for another long passionate kiss. As he does this, I feel his hands run up my shirt straight to my nipple.</p>
<p>“T-Tord!” Fuck, that feels good. I know he really wants to just tease me a bit, but every touch just feels way too good to care about his malicious intentions.</p>
<p>Tord hums as his name is called and latches back onto to the same spot on my neck as he was working on earlier. </p>
<p>Tord has a habit of leaving a lot of markups on me. It doesn’t bother me at all in the moment, but afterwards I’m always appalled by the large sum of hickeys swarming my neck. I always wonder why I never tell him to stop, but in the moment every lick and every suck drives me insane and I can’t help but long for more and more of them in the heat of everything. Right now, is one of those moments.</p>
<p>Tord breaks away from my neck and leans back to shove his face under my shirt and starts tangling my nipple with his tongue.</p>
<p>I lean into each suck and I start to moan out from the pleasure.</p>
<p>At this point Tord is leading and he’s taking his sweet time with every little thing, trying to tease me and get me all hot and bothered. Trust me, Tord riding me is a sight I’ll never get sick of, but with this pacing I am going to lose my mind before we get to that point.</p>
<p>I whip myself up from my bed and aggressively and twist Tord onto his back, flipping our positions, and start hungrily kissing him from above. This action earns me a soft moan from Tord as he starts arching his back and leaning in hard into the kiss.</p>
<p>Keeping our lips locked together, my hands start to work their way down to the front button of Tord’s jeans. Unbuttoning them, I then start to slide off his insanely tight, black skinny jeans off his toned legs leaving him in just his briefs. I release myself from the kiss to observe my crafty work.</p>
<p>Yeah, this is great. There is no sight more beautiful view than Tord lying on his back, almost completely nude just aching for contact.</p>
<p>“Excuse me?” Tord breaks me from my trance and he gives me a wide smirk.</p>
<p>“Mmm?” I say, still lost in this beautiful sight.</p>
<p>“Why am I the only one loosing clothing?” Tord raises an eyebrow at me.</p>
<p>Yes, I guess that would be fair. It’s not like I planned to be fully clothed for the sex part anyway.</p>
<p>I whip off my shirt and toss it to the other side of the room and quickly undo the knot tied on the waistband of my joggers. After talking off said joggers, I am left in nothing but my briefs as well. I hang myself over Tord, locking my gaze with his as he smirks back at me.</p>
<p>“Better?” I give him a cocky smile with a wink.</p>
<p>“Much~”</p>
<p>Tord then grabs the back of my neck aggressively and we start making out like two hungry animals before our erections become too hard to hold onto any longer.</p>
<p>“Tord….” I break the kiss but Tord just keeps me pulled in and starts working on a new spot on my neck. “Get the stuff from the drawer, I can’t reach.”</p>
<p>“Mmmm, okay.” Tord gives my neck a final slurp before releasing one arm from my neck to reach into my nightstand drawer to pull out a bottle of lube.</p>
<p>“…..” He stares at the bottle for a couple seconds before passing it to me and then starts to work on sucking on another part of my neck.</p>
<p>What the heck was that about? Does he not like the brand or something? I mean, it’s not like it matters what lube brand I get, as long as it gets the job done, right? I don’t remember him being that picky about what lube we use. Maybe I’m over thinking things and he was just taking a moment to make sure he got the right thing from my drawer. Yeah, nothing to worry about…</p>
<p>My hands work their way down Tord’s back to tightly grab his ass, earning me a nice moan from him.</p>
<p>“Tom…mhmm…” He purrs into my neck and I release him from his briefs to get him completely naked before laying him down onto his back.</p>
<p>I throw one of his legs up over my shoulder and pop the lube open and begin to trance my fingers along his entrance before I coat three of my fingers in the substance and start to prep his entrance. This obviously earns me a trail of moans from Tord throughout, and I use my free hand to cover his mouth.</p>
<p>“Shhh! Do you want Edd and Matt to hear?” I try and hush him, but he grabs my arm and licks my hand seductively, sending chills down my spine.</p>
<p>“Then, we’ll both just have to stay quiet~” Tord whispers and throws a wink at me.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>We were not quiet.</p>
<p>Tord was howling the entire night and I was not helping AT ALL. Every moan and every sensual sound I could get out of him drove me nuts, so there was a point where I just forgot all reason and hammered into him without a single care of anyone else listening. Now, it’s the next morning, and I certainly do care.</p>
<p>I sir awake from my bed realizing how loud we actually were and throw my hands over my face while Tord lays next to me, smoking a cigarette off the side of my bed. We’re both just lazing around in my bed, naked, still tired out from our “activities” last night. Edd and Matt definitely heard us last night, and I have no clue how we are going to cover this up. In the past we were more discrete about it but we have been lusting for each other for so long that it’s hard for the both of us to hold back. There is no way we can cover this up. Tord is a good liar, but there are limits to how far one of his lies can go.</p>
<p>“We’re fucked….” I sigh out.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes we are~” Tord adds peaking over his shoulder with a wink.</p>
<p>“You knew what I meant….” I glare at Tord and he rolls over to face to me.</p>
<p>“You worry too much; they will never know!” Tord waves at me dismissively with his cigarette-free hand.</p>
<p>“Tord I think the whole neighborhood heard us last night! Edd and Matt definitely know…” I give him a drained look.</p>
<p>“Listen, if they heard, then why did they not tell us to shut up?” Tord gives me a nonchalant look and I sigh out again.</p>
<p>“I think it’s pretty awkward to hear your two roommates having sex and then knock on the door to tell them to shut up.”</p>
<p>“Well then it is their own fault.” Tord takes a drag from his cigarette and fills the air with the smoke while I whine out to myself under the covers.</p>
<p>After rolling around in bed for a couple more minutes, we both slump out from my bed and head for the shower. Tord insists that we take one together, but I shrug him off and hop in first before he can protest. Once we both had our turn in the shower, I throw on my blue hoodie and Tord throws on his red one, and I soon find myself staring regretfully at myself in the mirror.</p>
<p>“Ugh…” I groan as I take notice of the large plethora of hickeys consuming my neck. My hoodie doesn’t cover them all, and pulling my hood forward only makes it more obvious that I am trying to hide them. </p>
<p>The both of us pair or hoodies with some black skinny jeans and begin to creep out towards the kitchen, keeping an eye out for either Edd or Matt. We make our way into the living room, and peer around each corner looking out for Edd or Matt.</p>
<p>Before either of them could take notice of our presence, I lock eyes with a maroon scarf hanging on the coat rack in the foyer. I don’t recognize it as either Edd or Matt’s, so I’m guessing it’s Tord’s. Either way, I pace my way to the foyer and grab the sucker off the hook and quickly wrap it around my neck to hide the army of hickeys surrounding my neck. As I do this, I take notice of both Edd and Matt’s shoes being missing from the pile left on the foyer floor.</p>
<p>Both Tord and I move over to inspect the living room carefully for Edd and Matt, and to our surprise, they were nowhere to be found.</p>
<p>“Oh God! They heard us and moved out!” I start to panic and turn towards Tord. “Tord, we chased Edd and Matt out from the house! We’re the worse roommates ever!” I whine and Tord smacks the back of my head.</p>
<p>“There stuff is still here dumbass.” Tord glares at me, upset in my little outburst.</p>
<p>“Oh…yeah.” I say as I look around the living room to see all of Matt’s self-portraits still plastered along the walls.</p>
<p>Yeah, Matt wouldn’t leave without those….</p>
<p>“Okay, so where the hell are they?” I ask and Tord shrugs.</p>
<p>“Beats me.” He says with a disinterested look and heads back towards the kitchen.</p>
<p>“They were here for dinner; do you think they left afterwards and didn’t tell us?” I ask Tord as I follow him into the kitchen.</p>
<p>“No clue.” Tord says in the same disinterested tone and searches the fridge for bacon, to which, me and Matt stocked heavily on during our last trip to the grocery store.</p>
<p>They can’t fight over the last piece if there is never a last piece left…</p>
<p>“Tord, I feel like we should be concerned on the whereabouts of our roommates…” I say as Tord continues to casually prep his strips of bacon on the stove.</p>
<p>“Ah, they are fine!” He waves me off. “If they were in trouble, they would have let us know!” He continues to prep his bacon without a care in the world and I start to panic to myself.</p>
<p>Okay, it’s a quarter past noon, they would both be awake chatting in the kitchen as normal right now, but they’re not. They’re not in their rooms, and they were here for dinner last night. Their shoes are gone, so if they did leave to go out somewhere, they would have normally left a note on the counter. In the scenario that they left in such a hurry that they didn’t have time to leave a note, they would have at least text Tord or I on their leaving if this were the case. That is…unless they heard us last night and left discreetly!</p>
<p>Wait, no. If they did that, they still would have left a note and would be back by now to confront us on the matter. They didn’t text us or anything about their leaving, so were they kidnapped?!</p>
<p>Holly shit that may be it…</p>
<p>They didn’t leave a note on the counter, they didn’t text or call us on their leaving, they must have been taken! Of course! This has to be it! Tord and I were too busy fucking each other last night that we couldn’t hear them scream as they were taken!</p>
<p>“…Tord...” I shudder out and I feel my whole face go white.</p>
<p>“What?” Tord sighs out while turning his bacon over on the stove.</p>
<p>“…I think Edd and Matt were—"</p>
<p>“WE’RE HOME~!” Matt bust through the front door with his foot, making Edd groan behind him at the loud entrance.</p>
<p>“Matt…let’s not break the door…” Edd sighs and facepalms himself as they both march through the door into the foyer.</p>
<p>“YOU’RE OKAY?!” I scream and sprint out through the kitchen into the living room towards the foyer and lunge himself at Matt for a hug that he receives lazily.</p>
<p>“Ewww, don’t rub your ugly off on me…” Matt groans.</p>
<p>“I thought we guys were goners!” I pull away from Matt and turn towards Edd who is looking very confused at the greeting.</p>
<p>“Uh, what? Goners?” Edd tilts his head at me.</p>
<p>“I mean, we WERE gone, Edd.” Matt adds and Edd sighs.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that is what he meant, Matt…” Edd sighs again and looks at me still puzzled. “Tom, what are you on about? And what’s up with the scarf?”</p>
<p>I ignore Edd’s questions and go in on Matt for another hug as he groans again.</p>
<p>“…Tord, what is he on about?” Edd asks as Tord slowly strolls into the foyer casually.</p>
<p>“I have no clue.” Tord sighs and I continue to clench Matt in my arms, while he whines out again.</p>
<p>“Tom! You’re going to break my pretty, pretty back!” Matt whines and I finally let go.</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry, I just thought I would never see you guys again!”</p>
<p>“Why?” Edd gives me a curious look while Matt hurls over to catch his breath.</p>
<p>“Yeah, why?” Tord gives me the same curious look.</p>
<p>“Um, who knows!” I try and nervously laugh off my embarrassment from my typical jumping to conclusions. “Haha, the outside world can be a dangerous place, ya know!”</p>
<p>Damn, I really do have a habit of jumping to conclusions. I’m always like this. I always think up the worst-case scenario and my brain just believes it. There was almost no evidence of those two getting kidnapped and I just somehow believed it to be true as soon as my brain came up with it. Wow, I can be pretty lame sometimes…</p>
<p>“Yes, yes it can?” Edd replies, still giving me a confused look.</p>
<p>“Oh, well I’m glad you guys are okay!” I flash a smile at Edd and Matt and they return it with a drained expression.</p>
<p>“Yeah, anyways…” Edd looks off to the side and then back at Tord and I. “Well, I’m starving, and I smell bacon!” Edd hurries over to the kitchen and Tord grabs Edd by the hood of his green sweatshirt.</p>
<p>“That is MY bacon, if you want some; make it yourself.” Tord glares at Edd from behind and Edd sighs.</p>
<p>“Fine….” Tord releases his grip on Edd’s hood and Edd sulks over to the kitchen while Matt follows.</p>
<p>“Wait, where DID you guys go?” I ask from the foyer and Edd and Matt freeze in their tacks.</p>
<p>“Uhhh, good question…” Edd replies nervously.</p>
<p>“Mmmm, good question indeed…” Matt says and adds to the suspicion.</p>
<p>“So, care to share?” I ask with my arms crossed and they both start to quicken their pace towards the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Nope, not really.” Edd replies sharply and I start to follow after them.</p>
<p>They’re acting suspicious; more suspicious than normal. I thought it was weird for them to leave and not let Tord or I know, so I guess it was because they didn’t want us to know where they went.</p>
<p>“It seems like you went somewhere, and you guys don’t want Tord or I to know.” I say and finally corner the two of them in the kitchen.</p>
<p>“No! What would makes you think that?” Edd says trying to avoid my gaze and Matt shakes beside him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we never even left the house!” Matt points at me accusingly.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah you did.” I point back at him with substantially less energy. “You just came busting through the door announcing your arrival.” I tilt my head at them and Edd facepalms himself.</p>
<p>“Ooo he’s good…” Matt whispers and leans towards Edd. “The jig may be up, lad.” Matt admits and Edd sighs louder.</p>
<p>“Fine! We left to take care of some business…” Edd confesses but that was way too vague of answer for them to get off scot-free.</p>
<p>“What “business”, Edd?” I say in a strict tone as he starts to cave in under the pressure.</p>
<p>“Um, you know, “that” kind of business…” He sweats nervously and I hold my glare at him.</p>
<p>“Edd.” I say in a stricter tone.</p>
<p>“Okay! Fine!” Edd throws his hands up in defeat. “There was a cola flash sale at the twenty-four-hour market down the street! I got a notification of it on my phone and I just HAD to go!”</p>
<p>“Annnnnd?” I press further.</p>
<p>“And I knew that there was going to be a lot of cola to carry, so last night I knew Matt was the only one awake that late, so I just grabbed him and took him with me.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, and I was doing important things too!” Matt exclaims and Edd glares at him.</p>
<p>“No, you weren’t. You were just watching those cheap horror movies in the living room again.”</p>
<p>“It was important to me!” Matt turns his head away from Edd and sighs.</p>
<p>“Edd, cola isn’t THAT important either…” I add and he gasps.</p>
<p>“Yes, it is! You’re not use to happiness Tom, so you wouldn’t know!” Edd crosses his arms and I hear Tord snort from the stove, still trying to cook his bacon.</p>
<p>“Whatever.” I frown and realize that something about Edd’s story is just not adding up. “Wait, you were just getting cola, right?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Edd says with a blank expression.</p>
<p>“Okay, so why be so secretive about it?” I ask, genuinely confused as to why they were both hesitant to tell us about their whereabouts.</p>
<p>“Uhh, that’s because….uhhhhh.” Edd studders and I press him some more.</p>
<p>“Edd, spit it out.”</p>
<p>“Okay! Well, it was a flash sale! Which means first come, first serve!”</p>
<p>“Yes, that applies to all sales, Edd.”</p>
<p>“Exactly! Just like paying!” Edd starts to look at me more nervously than before. “When there’s a sale, you collect, then pay, right?”</p>
<p>“Well, duh.” I reply and immediately realize what Edd is trying to say. “Did you not pay for any of the cola you took?”</p>
<p>“…..”</p>
<p>Edd stays silent and I glance over at Matt who is also starting to sweat nervously, almost confirming my speculations.</p>
<p>“Edd, why didn’t you pay for it?! It was discounted!” I cry and Edd cringes to himself.</p>
<p>“I was going to! But this old lady was getting aggressive and was trying to hog all of the cola for herself! Nobody that old should be even drinking that much cola in the first place!” Edd starts to raise his voice and I follow suit.</p>
<p>“That doesn’t matter! You’re supposed to pay!” I yell back at him. “How did they even let you guy’s leave without paying?!”</p>
<p>“...they didn’t…” Edd confesses and his and Matt’s face begin to shrivel up in guilt.</p>
<p>“…Edd.” I give him a concerned look. “How much cola did you guys try and steal?”</p>
<p>“…four hundred and twenty cans…”</p>
<p>“EDD!” I scream back at him as he hides his face into his hands.</p>
<p>“I know! I know it’s a lot!”</p>
<p>“You guy’s must’ve cleared the whole store of cola!” I cry out again.</p>
<p>“We did!” Edd confesses and lets out the rest of the missing details to their little “excursion”. “We were concealing the cans under our clothes and one of the employees caught us sneaking out the door and called the cops!” Edd whines and my jaw drops.</p>
<p>“Edd….” My voice is leaking with disappointment and Edd cringes harder.</p>
<p>“So, after the cops were called, they put Matt and I up for theft and tried to arrest us.”</p>
<p>“….Edd, what do you mean, “tried”?” I ask with hesitance.</p>
<p>“Well….” Edd looks over at Matt and Matt chimes in.</p>
<p>“Well, we WERE going to be arrested until I pulled out one of Torddy’s gravity guns and shot the cop right in the chest.”</p>
<p>“….you shot the cop….?” I mutter out in shock of what I just heard.</p>
<p>“Hm, I guess that gun had some use after all.” Tord adds while seating himself at the table to enjoy his bacon.</p>
<p>“You’re not mad that Matt took it?!” I whip my head at Tord and he shrugs.</p>
<p>“It is not like I was going to use it. I like my victims fatally wounded.” He states and shoves a piece of bacon into his mouth.</p>
<p>“Anyways…” I whip my head back at Edd and Matt. “So, you shot the cop with the gravity gun, and?”</p>
<p>“And the cop was sent flying into the air, distracting every employee and customer in the store.” Matt says while Edd chimes back into the story.</p>
<p>“That’s when we both sprinted out from the store, hurled the cola into the trunk of my car, and sped off towards the house.”</p>
<p>“So, the cops are still on your guy’s tail?!” I shriek and Edd and Matt slowly shake their heads.</p>
<p>“Not quite…” Matt mumbles.</p>
<p>“The cop called for backup after Matt shot him….” Edd adds.</p>
<p>“Oh no…” I sigh and slam my hand to my face.</p>
<p>“Yeah, so right after we settled ourselves into the car, we heard sirens in the distance.” Edd says as more guilt rises to his face.</p>
<p>“Edd…” I groan.</p>
<p>“So, we did the only logical thing when you hear cop sirens...” Matt adds.</p>
<p>“We drove away…fast.” Edd sighs and I smack my other hand to my face.</p>
<p>These two are making me wish they were kidnapped instead…</p>
<p>“And that’s what happened!” Matt says clapping both his hands together and heading off to the fridge. “Now, let’s not talk about this EVER again!” He pops his head into the fridge, and I give Edd a disappointed look.</p>
<p>“I’m guessing you guys drove around for the rest of the night trying to lose the cops?”</p>
<p>Edd nods.</p>
<p>“Eventually, you guys lose the cops and make you way back home?”</p>
<p>He nods again.</p>
<p>“…all of the cola is still left in the car, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>He gives me a final nod and a smile.</p>
<p>“Mission accomplished?” He says with a sheepish grin and I return it with a glare.</p>
<p>“Sure, whatever you say…” I sigh and Edd starts making his way to the fridge to prepare himself some bacon.</p>
<p>“Hey Edd, quick question.” I holler over at Edd and he glances towards me.</p>
<p>“What’s up?” He says still looking disturbed by his own actions as of last night.</p>
<p>“What time did you two leave last night?” I ask and Edd looks up to the kitchen clock.</p>
<p>“Uhh, I don’t know, around two in the morning?” He replies and tilts his head back at me.</p>
<p>“I see.” I reply back and sigh out in relief.</p>
<p>It seems that Edd and Matt left right before Tord strolled into my room, thank God. We got lucky this time, but Tord and I cannot be so careless next time. If these two found out about us, it would just make the four of us living together super awkward, and make Edd and Matt feel uncomfortable in their own home. However, after hearing the story I just heard, it makes me think that no one in this house has any concern for anyone else’s comfort…</p>
<p>I just hope I don’t see Edd and Matt’s face on a “wanted” poster anytime soon…</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>Later that day, Tord and I are lazing around in my room until we hear loud banging at the front door of the house. We both look at each other as we hear Edd exit his room to answer it. Once we hear the door open, a loud voice come booming through the house. It sounded as if Edd were getting yelled at by someone at the door. The two of us creep out from my room and hide around the corner of the hallway, waiting for the conversation to end before confronting Edd about it. Edd soon slams the door and turns towards us by the hallway.</p>
<p>“Who was that?” I ask while still peaking my head around the corner while Tord follows suite.</p>
<p>“Fucking Edwardo! He said our dog was too loud, and he could he a bunch of screaming and shouting from the house last night. We don’t even have a dog!” Edd cries as he throws his hands up in frustration.</p>
<p>“…Oh really...” I sigh, knowing exactly what “dog” was causing a ruckus.</p>
<p>I glare at Tord and he winks at me.</p>
<p>“You guys were home all night, were you two fighting?” Edd asks us and I shrug uncomfortably.</p>
<p>“Yes?” I say, not really knowing how else to answer.</p>
<p>“Well, you two seem fine right now.” Edd gives us a puzzled look and Tord and I both look at each other awkwardly.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we…uh…made up?” I say with a shrug.</p>
<p>“You don’t sound confident.” Edd squints.</p>
<p>“Do I ever?” I laugh nervously.</p>
<p>I’m glad Tord is keeping his mouth shut right now, because anything he says would probably come off as incriminating. I just don’t want him to start hinting at things in this conversation like he did last time.</p>
<p>“I guess….” Edd sighs and drops his squint. “Either way, Edwardo is pissed, and he is telling the landlord.”</p>
<p>“Oof, that’s rough.” I add and Edd looks to be more upset.</p>
<p>“I know!” Edd throws his hands up in frustration again and storms off to his room. “Stupid Edwardo, always trying to ruin my life!” Edd mutters to himself as he storms off and I look at Tord accusingly as he avoids my stare.</p>
<p>“I told you the whole neighborhood could hear…” I sigh and Tord continues to look to the side at the ground.</p>
<p>“Well….at least no one found out, right?” Tord shifts his head towards me and gives me a guilty smile.</p>
<p>Let’s just see how long we can last without getting caught….</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Haha, 420...</p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. The Fear of Getting Caught</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom and Tord start pushing their luck.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Explicit warning, please skip this chapter if you do not like this stuff. :P</p>
<p>Key:<br/>Blå (Tom's POV)<br/>Rød (Tord's POV)</p>
<p>~~~~~~~(&lt;-These lines mean a change in scene)</p>
<p>_________(&lt;-These lines mean a shift in time period)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Blå</h1>
<p>“Tom, you okay? You’re looking quite red.” Edd asks standing next to Matt in front of the table Tord and I were holding in the mall’s cafeteria.</p>
<p>“Yeah…hah…. just fine.” I barley mutter out and Edd looks to me more uneasy than before.</p>
<p>“Are you sure? You seem out of breath as well.” Edd ask with more concern in his voice, and I wave him off to the best of my abilities in my current….situation.</p>
<p>“Well, if you say so.” Edd says in a tone that makes it obvious that he doesn’t believe me in the slightest, but that doesn’t matter to me. I just need these two to leave as soon as possible. “Did you want anything from Nando’s?” Edd asks and I shake my head.</p>
<p>“…nope…I’m ah, just fine.” I try and flash him a reassuring smile, but he just squints back at me.</p>
<p>“Okay, well where’s Tord? He’s definitely going to want something.” Edd asks and my face grows even hotter.</p>
<p>“Oh, um, he’s—”</p>
<p>*Slurp*</p>
<p>“Nngh!” I jolt in my seat and Edd gives me and odd look, but I try and cover it up. “You know, haha, the bathroom?” My leg twitches and it becomes harder to catch my breath.</p>
<p>“Are you asking me if he’s in the bathroom, or are you telling me?” Edd crosses his arms as he squints harder at me and I start to sweat even harder.</p>
<p>“Uh…that…would be…uhm…” I fail to muster out any coherent answer and Edd sighs.</p>
<p>“We’ll just get his usual order; I know he won’t complain with that.” Edd turns towards the Nando’s shops across from our table. “Come on Matt, let’s go.” Edd leads Matt with him as Matt continues to stare hard at himself in his hand mirror.</p>
<p>As soon as they both walk off, Tord gives me another hard suck from under the table, sending chills all throughout my whole body.</p>
<p>“Tord!” I shriek as he keeps his pace exactly the same, making it harder to confront him.</p>
<p>Tord thought it would be a good idea to give me a blowjob under the cafeteria table while we wait for Edd and Matt to come back from the toy store. Of course, I rejected the idea, but Tord always gets his way and just went down on me regardless. There is a cloth over the table, so it’s hard to see if anyone is underneath, but if Edd and Matt had sat down across from me instead of running off to Nando’s, the jig would’ve been up.</p>
<p>I’m not going to lie, this feels FANTASTIC, but I rather not get blown in public with the constant fear of someone possibly finding out. Tord thinks it’s hot, but I think it’s troublesome. Either way, somehow, he made his way under the table and is sucking me off in the mall cafeteria without a single person batting an eye at us.</p>
<p>“…T-Tord…” I mutter out and Tord runs his tongue over my tip and I clench at a fistful of his hair in response to the sensation.</p>
<p>“Mhm?” Tord hums onto my dick and I am left shivering in pleasure after each suck and each lick.</p>
<p>“….we have to hurry this up, they’re going to be back any second…” I mumble out and Tord runs down my shaft with his tongue and starts to suck at my balls.</p>
<p>“F-Fuck….”</p>
<p>That asshole…</p>
<h1>Rød</h1>
<p>I hate giving head, but for Tom, somehow it feels like a treat~</p>
<p>It is a weird note to make but it is the utter truth of the matter: Tom’s cum taste super sweet.</p>
<p>To be fair I have never sucked off any other guy but Tom, so I have nothing to compare this to, but I have a hard time believing that cum is supposed to taste THIS sweet. It is like juice almost. I read once in an article that if a guy eats a lot of pineapple or melon, it can make his semen taste better. I am guessing Tom must eat A LOT of pineapple to get his’ to taste this sweet. The odd thing is, I do not believe I have ever seen him eat pineapple or melon, like ever.</p>
<p>Either way, his cum is super sweet, and I always think this every time I suck him off, but I never bring it up to him. He might think it’s weird and not let me do it as often, so I keep this little fact to myself~</p>
<p>After Tom’s climax, I pull off from his dick and slip up from under the table into the seat next to his. By the time I made my way up to look at him, he was glaring hard at me.</p>
<p>“What?” I ask with an innocent smile.</p>
<p>“Don’t do that again.” Tom commands, still red in the face and out of breath as he zips his jeans back up.</p>
<p>“It was hot, don’t lie.” I lean in close to his face and he grunts at me.</p>
<p>“Either way, if we got caught it would’ve been bad.” His glare hardens and I roll my eyes.</p>
<p>“You always say that.”</p>
<p>“You always do shit to try and get us caught!” He yelps all agitated in his seat.</p>
<p>I love seeing him flustered like this~</p>
<p>“You worry too much; I won’t let us get caught.” I point at him. “If they figure us out, it’s because you were being too obvious.” I slouch into my chair as I watch Tom grow more annoyed.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have been so obvious if you would’ve slowed down when Edd and Matt showed up!” His face churns to a brighter pink and I chuckle at him.</p>
<p>“Hey, they didn’t notice, and you got a free blowjob, what is the issue?” I lean in to kiss at his cheek as he pouts back at me.</p>
<p>“Just don’t do that again…” He mumbles, thus, sparking an idea to pop into my head.</p>
<p>Sorry not sorry Tom, I just came up with a great idea~</p>
<p>“I will comply, but on one condition.” I smirk at him and he groans.</p>
<p>“Tord…” He replies in a stern tone. </p>
<p>“Hey, I just sucked you off, you can at least do this for me, no?” I give him my most pleading eyes and he stares off into the distance, shyly trying to avoid my gaze.</p>
<p>“Fine, what is it?” He caves and I lean in close to his ear.</p>
<p>“You should jerk me off at the movies~” I whisper into his ear and his face burns a brighter pink.</p>
<p>“T-Tord that’s…”</p>
<p>“It will be dark, and no one will be able to notice. Plus, Matt picked the movie, and I know none of us are going to want to watch it, so why not have some fun~”</p>
<p>“Tord…”</p>
<p>“Tom~”</p>
<p>I give him one last pleading look and I see his face start to churn to a brighter pink as he sinks back into his chair.</p>
<p>“…you better keep your mouth shut…”</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<h1>Blå</h1>
<p>This was not as bad as I thought it would be~</p>
<p>Tord is shaking under my hand, gripping at my arm trying not to moan out and disturb the other people in the theater.</p>
<p>“Hey Tom, is Tord alright over there?” Edd peaks his head forward from his seat at the end of our row and I just throw him back a courteous smile.</p>
<p>“Yes, he is doing just great.” I whisper back across Matt who is sitting in between Edd and I.</p>
<p>“He’s making some weird noises over there…” Edd asks as I turn to my right towards Tord who has a hand thrown over his face, trying to hold back from moaning out from the pleasure.</p>
<p>“Yeah, he’s fine.” I reply, still giddy from the idea of Tord melting in his seat from the hand job that HE asked me to give him.</p>
<p>Overall, Tord is a pretty quiet person, but he gets very vocal in bed. He always has a hard time keeping his voice back, so I don’t know what made him think that he wouldn’t struggle concealing his voice in a situation like this.</p>
<p>“Tom, stop with the inconsistent pacing…” Tord whines out into my ear and I just smirk back at him.</p>
<p>I’m running my hand along his length at varying paces, which is probably making it really frustrating for him to have a proper orgasm. I’ll occasionally speed up the pace of my hand and cover his tip with my thumb, just to halt him from his climax.</p>
<p>Sweet, sweet karma~</p>
<p>Tord bites at my ear, begging me to stop and eventually I just let him ride out the orgasm. After a couple more teases, I finally take it seriously and let him cum into my hand.</p>
<p>“…you dick.” He chokes out and I just smirk back at him.</p>
<p>“You asked for it~”</p>
<p>“SHUSH!” Matt smacks my shoulder. “The scene is getting intense!” Matt whispers at me and I whisper back an apology and look back at the flustered Tord beside me.</p>
<p>“Let’s keep this stuff at the house, okay?” I grin at him and he continues to pant softly.</p>
<p>“Whatever…” He sighs and zips up his jeans.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>I tighten my grip on Tord’s ass, and he moans deeper into the kiss. He grips at the back of my neck and sucks hard at my lips. Our groins are shifting against each other and I can feel his growing erection throb against mine as we both continue to eagerly make out in the kitchen.</p>
<p>I have Tord leaned up against the fridge, gripping at his ass, as he has his arms locked behind my neck pushing against me. We were both in there to get breakfast, but somehow ended up all over each other in a matter of seconds. Ever since we started hooking up again, this has been happening a lot…</p>
<p>“Tom…” Tord moans out and I release one of my hands from his ass to reach up his shirt to feel at his abs, earning me another long moan from him.</p>
<p>“Tom! Have you seen the picture of me at the beach?” Matt hollers out from the living room and I break the kiss to holler back.</p>
<p>“No Matt, haven’t seen it!” As soon as I finish speaking, Tord pulls me in and smacks our lips back together and throws his tongue down my throat.</p>
<p>“You were the last person I showed it to! You have to know!” Matt whines out again from the living room and I pull from the kiss once again.</p>
<p>“Matt, I haven’t seen it! We can find it later!” After saying this, Tord pulls me in once again, clasping our lips together and throwing his tongue further back into my mouth while still sucking hard at my lips.</p>
<p>“No! I need that photo! It’s one of my favorites!” Matt pouts and we hear him start to march towards the kitchen.</p>
<p>Tord and I instantly break away from each other, still trying to catch our breaths from the intense kiss.</p>
<p>“Tom, I know—oh, Torddy!” Matt waltzes into the kitchen and locks his gaze onto Tord. “You were here the whole time? Why didn’t you say anything?” Matt asks Tord while Tord is still trying to catch his breath.</p>
<p>“I was eating…” Tord says suspiciously, but because it’s Matt, he obviously doesn’t pick up on that.</p>
<p>“Really? I thought we were low on groceries? What were you eating?” Matt asks innocently and Tord just smirks at me, making my face flush pink.</p>
<p>“….” Tord says nothing and continues to smirk at me.</p>
<p>“Tord?” Matt says and looks at me as well as I just stand there and studder.</p>
<p>“Um…so..ahem….” I say weakly and Tord fixes his stare back to Matt with a shrug.</p>
<p>“Just something sweet.” Tord replies, making my face flush pink once again.</p>
<p>“Okay, makes sense.” Matt accepts Tord’s answer and puts his hands on his hips. “Well, have either of you seen my beach photo? I swear I just had it in the living room.”</p>
<p>“Try looking under the sofa.” Tord suggests and Matt nods.</p>
<p>“You’re, right Torddy!”</p>
<p>“Tord.”</p>
<p>“Tordle! I’ll look there next!” Matt ignores Tord’s correction of his own name and waves us off, as he heads back to the living room.</p>
<p>“Pfft…“Tordle”….” I start to cackle and Tord glares at me.</p>
<p>“It is not funny.” He scowls.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it is.” I retort, still trying to hold back my laugh.</p>
<p>“Fucking Jehovah.” Tord spits back at me and stomps away as I laugh out louder to myself.</p>
<p>“See ya Tordle~” I wave at him as he makes his way out from the kitchen towards his room.</p>
<p>What a cutie~</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tord's an odd soul...</p>
<p>See you in the next one! ;&gt;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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